Kolkata Knight Riders aim for back-to-back IPL titles under new leadership

In a recent press conference, new captain Ajinkya Rahane, mentor Dwayne Bravo, head coach Chandrakant Pandit, and vice-captain Venkatesh Iyer shared their thoughts on the upcoming season and the team's preparations.

Rahane, who takes over as captain of the reigning champions, expressed his gratitude for the opportunity. "It's an honour for me to lead this wonderful franchise. I'm really thankful and grateful to the management for giving me this opportunity," said Rahane, as quoted by the KKR press release.

The experienced batter acknowledged the challenge of defending the title but remained focused on the immediate future:

"For me, it is always about keeping it simple... We will obviously give our best this season," Rahane added.

When asked about his batting position, Rahane emphasized a team-first mentality, "I have always played wherever the team wanted me to play. Team thinking has always come first."

Mentor Dwayne Bravo outlined his approach to continuing the team's success, "It would be disrespectful of me to try to change some of the good things from the last season," Bravo explained.

He also expressed his enthusiasm about working with team owner Shah Rukh Khan, "It's good to have a boss like Shah Rukh who is definitely really invested in the game... That energy and that vibe, I'm going to try to bring that here as well."

Vice-captain Venkatesh Iyer, who commanded a significant price at the auction, was excited about working with Bravo.

"He's been the most successful T20 player in history, so he brings a lot of experience to the table," said Iyer. "Nothing can beat experience. He's played so many games; he's won so many games for West Indies and the franchises that he's played for," Iyer said as the KKR press release added.

When questioned about handling the pressure of his price tag, Iyer took a pragmatic approach, "It exists. You can't ignore it altogether, but when the TATA IPL starts, it really doesn't matter. You're a part of a playing XI, a part of a team that is going out there to win."

Head coach Chandrakant Pandit, who has worked with Rahane previously, spoke about the team's preparation for their opening match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru on March 22.

"Every match is different, and we have been preparing since the Mumbai camp and now we have started the camp here as well... we are going to play as hard as possible," Chandrakant Pandit said.

Regarding the team composition, Pandit highlighted the confidence gained from international experience, "The advantage that we're going to get is the confidence level that they're going to carry from the international level to KKR."

The team is looking forward to playing at their home ground, with Rahane noting: "It's good to be back at Eden Gardens and we always love to play at Eden Gardens. The atmosphere, the energy, the passion which all the fans have."

With a strong core of retained players, experienced leadership, and the backing of passionate fans at Eden Gardens, KKR appears well-positioned to defend their title in the upcoming TATA IPL 2025 season. (ANI)