Gilchrist too is a fan of Dhoni

Adam Gilchrist is a man who knows what it takes to succeed in the Indian Premier League. After a horror inaugural season with the Deccan Chargers in 2008, he turned the side around when the IPL shifted shores to South Africa next year guiding the team all the way to the title.

Even at the age of 39 - three years after hanging up his boots in international cricket - he remains a prize catch for any IPL team. No wonder the Kings XI Punjab team splurged out $900,000 in the IPL auction in January and didn't waste any time in appointing him the skipper of the team for the fourth season which gets underway on Friday.

Gilchrist speaks to TOI about the opportunity of leading a second IPL team in four years and his aspirations from the new season.