“I know you’re going to score runs for us, but I want you to score the majority of your runs between overs 10 and 20” – Salt on Gambhir’s guidance

Kolkata Knight Riders opener Phil Salt has opened up on playing under the mentorship of Gautam Gambhir in the Indian Premier League 2024. Salt revealed Gambhir’s advice and said the veteran wanted him to score the lion’s share of his runs aaftert the 10-over mark.

The England right-hander scored 435 runs in 12 matches of IPL 2024 and played a key role in taking the team to the playoffs. He scored his runs at an impressive average of 39.55 and a blistering strike rate of 182 but had to return for national duties and thus could not take part in the playoffs.

“I think the main bit of advice that I took from GG was to take the game deep, especially here in India. You know, from the moment I got off the first training session, he sat me down, he said, ‘I know you’re going to score runs for us, but I want you to score the majority of your runs between overs 10 and 20’, he said at Eden Gardens,” Salt said on the sidelines of the CEAT Cricketing Rating Awards.

“Even if you know it can be a little bit slow to start with, I want you to hang in there and make sure you’re there from overs 10 onwards and get the big overs because you can score so quickly’, and I think you know of all the conversations I had, I think that’s the best bit of you know coaching I had,” he added.

Salt added Gambhir always looked at that one percent which could help his players get better at the top level.

“What a competitor. I could really relate to him from that point of view. He’s always looking for those one per cent what’s going to get the individual to be better and what’s going to get the team over the line. So I loved working for him. You know one word would be a competitor,” Salt said.

Meanwhile, Salt scored 228 runs in eight matches in the recently concluded Hundred at an average of 28.50 and a strike rate of 149.01 while playing for Manchester Originals.