Kolkata, March 13
The newly appointed mentor of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Dwayne Bravo, has made it clear that the defending champions will stick to their winning formula in the Indian Premier League (IPL) as they prepare for the 2025 season. While Bravo brings his own style, he emphasised the importance of continuity, drawing insights from former mentor Gautam Gambhir, who led KKR to their third title last year before taking charge of the Indian team.
As KKR gears up for a fresh season with a new mentor and captain, Bravo made it clear—there’s no need to fix what isn’t broken.
Having spoken to Gambhir, the architect of KKR’s 2024 triumph who has now moved on to coach Team India, Bravo emphasised the importance of continuity.
“It’s going to be disrespectful of me not to try and find out some of the good things he (Gambhir) did last season. The core of the team is here. It was our duty to go into the auction and try to get back as much as the same squad of players from the championship-winning team. We were able to get that. Unfortunately, we lost some players,” Bravo said at the season-opening press conference of the franchise at the Eden Garden here on Thursday.
The former West Indies all-rounder, a serial winner himself, acknowledged Gambhir’s success but was confident in his own approach. “GG has his style, I have my style. We’re both successful in our own ways. Definitely, I messaged him a few times. I will be leaning a lot on these guys because they had a successful formula. It’s important that we follow that formula.”
Bravo, who previously led Trinbago Knight Riders—KKR’s sister franchise in the Caribbean Premier League—to multiple titles, is eager to inject his energy and passion into the team. “That energy and that vibe, I am going to try to bring that here as well. It is already a successful team. We look at building on that,” he added.
With Shreyas Iyer no longer at the helm, KKR have turned to Ajinkya Rahane to lead the side. The experienced batter, known for his composed leadership, is embracing the challenge with open arms. "It’s an honour to be the captain of this wonderful franchise," Rahane said, acknowledging the responsibility.
He is also excited to work alongside coach Chandrakant Pandit, someone he knows well from their time together in Mumbai’s domestic setup. “Chandu Sir, is very disciplined, focused, and knows how to get the best out of every individual.”
For Rahane, team unity is key. “For me, it’s always about having good communication with our players. Giving them that freedom on the field to express themselves and try and understand each other. It will be a challenge for us to defend the title. That’s why we play cricket,” he said, exuding quiet confidence.
With preparation in full swing, Rahane believes KKR is ready. “Our preparation has been really good. We had a very good 10-day camp in Mumbai and then here. I expect everyone to have good intent and good attitude.”
If there’s one player under immense scrutiny this season, it’s KKR’s newly appointed vice-captain, Venkatesh Iyer. The all-rounder became the third most expensive player in IPL history after fetching a staggering ₹23.75 crore at the auction. However, Iyer remains unfazed by the weight of expectations.
"When the IPL starts (on March 22 with KKR facing Royal Challengers Bengaluru), it really will not matter for what price you were picked or what is expected out of you. If you are taking the field for a side, you will be expected to do well," he said.