Gautam Gambhir has admitted that he is yet to have any talks with his IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) officials, as the deadline for the player retention nears for the IPL 2018.

All the franchises have to submit the list of the players they want to retain to the IPL governing council by January 4. Therefore it has been speculated that KKR might want to release Gautam Gambhir into the player auctions, instead of retaining him.

Gautam Gambhir won the IPL for KKR in 2012 and 2014.

According to the newly-drafted policy, franchises can keep five players with them through retention or by using Right-to-Match cards. Therefore KKR might want to buy him back in the auctions using the Right-to-Match card, instead of retaining him.

Gambhir performed well in IPL 2017 as KKR made it into the final four of the tournament. Gautam Gambhir however said that he was open to play for any other franchise, in case he is released by the Kolkata Knight Riders.

“It is very surprising that I have not spoken to anyone (in KKR management). I don’t know about myself [future with KKR]. We’ll probably sit and talk after the Ranji final. But yes I am [open to playing for another franchise],” he said.

“You have achieved so much for KKR. You have done whatever you could. If things do not work out in future, the good part is that you are leaving a franchise on a good note, when it has become a successful franchise. Not when you were struggling. As a professional, you want different challenges. There is nothing wrong with it. That’ll keep you motivated and hungry,” 36 year old left-handed opener Gambhir said.