'Did Not Know Where I Was Going To Get A Run': Brendon McCullum On His Life-Changing IPL 2008 Innings

Sports Cricket

Posted by AI on 2025-09-09 15:48:38 | Last Updated by AI on 2025-09-09 21:01:03

Share: Facebook | Twitter | Whatsapp | Linkedin Visits: 0

---

Brendon McCullum's iconic 158* for Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL 2008 opener was a catalyst for his career and the league's rise to success. Recalling the innings, McCullum details how it came at a time when he was struggling and admits he didn't know where the runs would come from.

The explosive batsman recounts how he didn't overthink it and just backed himself to play his natural game, running squads of fielders ragged and targeting fielders at the boundary. With the away squad bowling out KKR for below 150 in the second innings, McCullum's efforts proved crucial as the team took down Royal Challengers Bangalore by a huge 106-run margin.

The KKR icon, who went on to lead the team to its only IPL title in 2012, reflects on how the knock changed his life, launching his T20 career and cementing him as a sought-after player.

"That was probably the hardest I've ever had to bat in my life. I sort of reflect on it now, and I didn't really know where I was going to get a run. But I just trusted myself and my ability, and I think that was probably one of the most important things I've ever done in my career".

"Sometimes, things aren't going your way, and you're not getting the boundaries, but you've just got to trust the process and trust your ability. And I think that innings really helped me cement that I could do that at the highest level".

"I didn't really have to think too much, I just sort of backed my instinct and sort of did the opposite of what the data and the analytics might suggest, just sort of went with my gut feeling. And I think that's probably something that I'll always look back on and realize that was probably a really pivotal moment in my career".

"When you've got guys who are really quick between the wickets and you're able to create opportunities where they're either trying to stop you taking a single or you're trying to take an extra run, that's when you can really, really make inroads into the opposition team's score. And that's exactly what we tried to do".

"We wanted to make sure we got them thinking, 'Oh, these guys are really organized. They're doing things differently, and they're really impacting the game'. And that's exactly what we tried to do as a team, and obviously, I was lucky enough to be at the forefront of that".

"For me, it was life-changing. I felt like my career had sort of been going along at a nice pace, but I sort of felt like I'd gotten a little bit stuck. And that sort of gave me a little kick along to realize that I could do it at the highest level".

"I think from that day on, I really felt like I could thrive in this format, and my career just sort of took off from there".

"People always talk about the IPL, and the players who've benefited from it, and I'm sort of right there. That was the real catalyst for me, in terms of putting my career into a different sphere".

Go!