Felt alienated after Gautam Gambhir left, Robin Uthappa drops bombshell on KKR stint

Robin Uthappa played 86 matches for KKR from 2014 to 2019 with 2,439 runs, winning the IPL in 2014.

Robin Uthappa revealed a deeper account of his worsened relationship with the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) franchise after directly indicating a rift between the two parties.

Prior to the IPL 2023 Eliminator game on Wednesday (May 24), Uthappa grabbed the spotlight with a two-part comment on the topic that has gained traction since his inflammatory remark on the two-time champions.

The dramatic sequence began with Uthappa uploading a photo of himself in his former IPL franchise Chennai Super Kings (CSK) shirt with his kid ahead of Tuesday's Qualifier 1 match against defending champions Gujarat Titans (GT).

A fan commented beneath the image, asking why, given that the ex-India middle-order batsman only spent two seasons with CSK at the tail end of his competitive career, he seemed to have a healthier relationship with them rather than KKR, with whom he had a lengthier, more successful on-field partnership.

To this, Uthappa sparked a major controversy by declaring, "loyalty and respect is a give and take my friend!!," implying that he was not treated fairly by the franchise during his peak as an IPL batter in the KKR colors, winning titles with them in 2012 and 2014.

https://twitter.com/robbieuthappa/status/1661008667146326019?

Uthappa played 86 matches for KKR in a seven-year-long gig spanning from 2012 to 2019 with 2,439 runs made at an average of 30.48 and a strike rate of 136.25. The player was a heavy contributor to KKR's successful campaigns in 2012 and 2014.

'I felt alienated after Gautam Gambhir was let go' - Robin Uthappa issues clarification regarding his post about KKR

The post aroused concerns among KKR's ardent fans, putting Robin Uthappa in the center of a major issue. Previously, Uthappa stated that he was dissatisfied with the treatment he received during his time at KKR. The cricketer has repeatedly stated that CSK was his best supporter during his IPL playing days.

In a more detailed explanation, Uthappa stated that the KKR fans should not be offended by his remarks because he is grateful for their support and is only irritated by the treatment he received from the franchise, particularly after the departure of former captain Gautam Gambhir following the 2017 IPL.

“So much has been said since last night & I thank you for sharing. However I have always maintained that my 1st 4 yrs in KKR wen gauti led was completely diff from my last 2 years and that had a huge impact on my performances. I can assure you it had nothing to do with Captaincy!,” he tweeted.

https://twitter.com/robbieuthappa/status/1661315808554008576?s=20

Uthappa stated that he enjoyed playing under Gambhir, but that his KKR experience suffered when the guy was no longer at the head and departed the team. He described feeling "alienated" during his final two years with the team before going on to the Rajasthan Royals (RR) and eventually the CSK.

“After Gauti was let go, everything changed and i felt alienated. However my love for the fans of KKR was the same and will remain the same forever. I’m forever grateful for their support and I wanna clarify that!! This isn’t about the fans of KKR. I’ll forever love and respect em,” he added.

https://twitter.com/robbieuthappa/status/1661319315713593344?s=20

In his last season with KKR in 2019, Uthappa did collect 282 runs in 12 innings but at a costly strike-rate of 115.10.