Former India cricketer and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Gautam Gambhir on Saturday expressed a request to the party to relieve him from political duties to focus on his upcoming cricket commitments.
Gambhir is associated with the Kolkata Knight Riders as a mentor for the IPL 2024 season, due to begin on March 22.
Taking to social media, Gambhir, a BJP MP from Delhi, requested the party president JP Nadda to relieve him from his duties while also thanking Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah in the post.
I have requested Hon’ble Party President @JPNadda ji to relieve me of my political duties so that I can focus on my upcoming cricket commitments. I sincerely thank Hon’ble PM @narendramodi ji and Hon’ble HM @AmitShah ji for giving me the opportunity to serve the people. Jai Hind!
— Gautam Gambhir (@GautamGambhir) March 2, 2024
“I have requested Hon’ble Party President @JPNadda ji to relieve me of my political duties so that I can focus on my upcoming cricket commitments. I sincerely thank Hon’ble PM @narendramodi ji and Hon’ble HM @AmitShah ji for giving me the opportunity to serve the people. Jai Hind!” Gambhir wrote on X.
The 42-year-old Gambhir had joined BJP in early 2019 following his retirement from international cricket in December 2018. Gambhir represente East Delhi after winning in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections by a whopping margin of 6,95,109 votes.
Gambhir was the Lucknow Super Giants mentor in their first two seasons in the IPL in 2022 and 2023. It will be a reunion of sorts for the former India opener in his return to KKR. Gambhir is the franchise’s most successful captain to date, having led the side from 2011 to 2017 in 122 matches. Gambhir led the side to two titles in 2012 and 2014 and remains as one of the most successful captains in IPL history.