From Fan to Knight: SRK, Gambhir Admirer Sarthak Ranjan Earns KKR Call-Up

“Kehte hain agar kisi cheez ko dil se chaho… to puri kainaat usse tumse milane ki koshish mein lag jaati hai.”

The iconic Shah Rukh Khan dialogue from Om Shanti Om seems to have come true for Sarthak Ranjan, whose long-cherished dream of playing for the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) has finally become a reality.

KKR secured Ranjan for Rs 30 lakh at the IPL 2026 auction, rewarding his outstanding performances in the Delhi Premier League (DPL) 2025. The 29-year-old batter finished as the second-highest run-scorer of the season, amassing 449 runs in nine matches, including four half-centuries and one century.

It was during the DPL that Ranjan openly spoke about his admiration for Shah Rukh Khan and his desire to represent KKR. A video of the cricketer expressing his wish to play for the franchise later went viral on social media, though the original timeline of the clip could not be independently verified.

“Any team that picks me, I’ll be extremely grateful and give my 100 percent,” Ranjan said in the video. “But if I had to choose, I am a big fan of SRK and KKR.”

‘Gambhir, My Idol’

Ranjan has also spoken about his deep admiration for India head coach Gautam Gambhir, whom he considers his cricketing idol.

“Being from Delhi, it has always been Gautam Gambhir,” Ranjan said. “Listening to him, speaking to him, and sharing thoughts feels like attending a school of cricket. It’s no surprise that he is coaching the Indian team. I have learned a lot from him.”