Ramandeep: ‘Being picked by KKR has changed everything for me’

Ramandeep Singh was picked by Mumbai Indians (MI) in 2022 as a potential replacement for Hardik Pandya. However, he was released after just playing five games, when Hardik returned to the franchise from Gujarat Titans (GT) ahead of IPL 2024.

Ramandeep then earned another shot at the IPL after helping Punjab win the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in November 2023. As it turned out, Ramandeep didn’t need to chase opportunities – Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) had been tracking him and signed him ahead of IPL 2024.

He impressed as a lower-order finisher for KKR, scoring 125 runs at a strike rate of 201.61 in nine innings during a title-winning season. Those performances earned him a retention ahead of IPL 2025.

“It’s a confidence booster to be retained,” Ramandeep told ESPNcricinfo during the 2024-25 domestic season. “Prior to the auction, a lot of teams told me ‘don’t get retained, we’ll pick you, we’re ready to go up to 9-10 crore.’ But loyalty matters a lot to me.

“KKR gave me a platform when I needed it the most. I remember around the time retentions were to be decided, Venky [Mysore, KKR CEO] sir called and said, ‘you’re in our retention plans, what are you thinking. It’s eventually your call – if you were to get into the auction, we’ll try and RTM.’

“But I told him I’m happy to get retained. Once you’re in the auction, there’s no guarantee you’ll be in the same team, and I didn’t want to leave KKR. For me, a few crores less didn’t make a difference. I wanted to respect their word.”

Ramandeep hasn’t made much impact in IPL 2025 so far, scoring 29 runs off 23 balls with a top score of 22, and he is yet to bowl. He credits the stint with the team for opening up several areas of his game over the past two years.

“Being picked by KKR has changed everything for me,” Ramandeep said. “I still remember that practice match at our pre-season camp before last year’s IPL. We needed six runs off two balls, and I cleared the ropes to win the game. GG [Gautam Gambhir, then mentor] had a long chat with me afterwards.

“The first thing he told me was: ‘we’ll back you no matter what’. And I’m glad I was able to back his belief. To be able to get to where I am, a lot of work has gone behind the scenes, and KKR has played a huge part. Abhishek Nayar [former assistant coach] conducted sessions tirelessly in Thane, where he’d make me bat three hours at one go in the nets at times. I’d never batted that long – nets or match.

“It helped me open up my game. I had power, but training with him taught me how to channel that power. And it helped me in the domestic season as well. It kicked in a lot of self-belief. There was an attitude shift in me, the fear element went away because of the backing. After last year’s IPL, I did well at Sher-e-Punjab [T20 tournament] and for India A [ACC Emerging Nation Cup].”

It was during the semi-final of the ACC tournament in Al Amerat against Afghanistan that Ramandeep took another decisive step towards his dream: an India call-up, for the four-match T20I series in South Africa. When the news of his selection broke out, Ramandeep was trying to help India A chase down 206 from a precarious 100 for 5 in 12.4 overs.

He gave Afghanistan a scare, hitting eight fours and two sixes during his 34-ball 64. Even though India A fell short, Ramandeep’s hitting abilities and a catch from earlier in the tournament from a game against Pakistan got widespread attention.

“Apparently after the match my dad got a call from my coach saying ‘congrats’, and my dad was like, ‘for what? We’ve lost the semifinal.’ He was unaware I’d been selected. When my coach broke the news of my India call-up, my dad started crying. Later when I finished the game and switched on my phone, I had tons of messages, more than usual. Thoda zyada hi baj raha tha. It was an amazing feeling.”

Ramandeep didn’t need to wait long for his international debut, and he hit a six off his first ball. As he was presented his maiden cap by Hardik, memories from his journey until that point came rushing back.

“It was like a movie reel in my head,” he said. “The sacrifices made by my parents, my early days in school cricket in Chandigarh, my domestic debut for Punjab, my IPL trials, the rejections. Even my IPL debut where I walked out to bat with Dinesh Karthik keeping, Glenn Maxwell at slip and Virat Kohli staring at me from the covers.

“I was so nervous before the match but just before going out, Sachin [Tendulkar] sir told me, ‘enjoy, this is your moment. Your IPL debut won’t come again. That helped me. So, I remembered all these moments.”

At MI, Ramandeep had the opportunity to work with Kieron Pollard. At KKR, he gets to train and learn from Andre Russell, who he brings up unprompted.

“Imagine someone of Russell’s stature coming with me for an optional net, and telling the coaches, ‘don’t worry about Raman, I’ve got him sorted. He didn’t need to do that, but for him to tag along me to training, watch from behind, give me his inputs – it’s a very big thing. We speak a lot on and off the field.

“The culture here at KKR has been like that. There’s no star culture, everyone’s treated equally, young of old. The same attention, the same facilities whether you’re a retained player or a rookie. Conversations are blunt, and in your face. No conversations behind your back. It’s also a light environment, where you focus on practice and give it your best in the match.”

Ramandeep chuckles and says, the only superstar is their owner, Shah Rukh Khan.

“He’s amazing,” he gushed. “When he chats with you, it feels personal. There are so many layers to a conversation. He once spoke to me about self-belief and hard work, it has stayed with me . He spoke of a time when he first came to Bombay, how he had to start from scratch.

“He said, ‘I didn’t have a god father. I wasn’t the best looking, I wasn’t the most talented actor. I wasn’t the best dancer. All he had was hard work. He said, that’s the only way you can stay on top. Distractions will keep coming, but what stays with you is the hard work – don’t ever leave that.”

Ramandeep wants to contribute with the ball as well. There’s also an inherent belief that he can be a “big match winner.”

“Definitely working on my bowling, I want to be a proper allrounder. that’s my aim,” he said. “The goal is to win championships for my country. The role I’ve been given in the team is to finish games, that’s what I prepare for, whether I’m playing for KKR, Punjab or India. I’ll always stay true to that.”