Kolkata Knight Riders Gear Up For IPL 2025 With New Leadership And Renewed Determination

March 15, 2025: The defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are gearing up for the highly anticipated Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season with a renewed sense of purpose and fresh leadership. In a recent press conference, new captain Ajinkya Rahane, mentor Dwayne Bravo, head coach Chandrakant Pandit, and vice-captain Venkatesh Iyer shared their excitement and thoughts on the upcoming season and the team’s preparations.

Ajinkya Rahane, who steps into the captaincy role for KKR, expressed his gratitude and determination to lead the team. “It’s an honor for me to lead this wonderful franchise. I’m really thankful and grateful to the management for giving me this opportunity,” Rahane said. The experienced batter acknowledged the challenge of defending the title but remained focused on what lies ahead. “For me, it is always about keeping it simple… We will obviously give our best this season,” he added.

When questioned about his batting position, Rahane emphasized his team-first mentality, saying, “I have always played wherever the team wanted me to play. Team thinking has always come first.”

Mentor Dwayne Bravo, who is a vital part of KKR’s leadership, spoke about his approach to building on 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 shared his excitement about working with KKR’s owner Shah Rukh Khan, saying, “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, expressed his enthusiasm about learning from Bravo’s experience. “He’s been the most successful T20 player in history, so he brings a lot of experience to the table,” Iyer said. On the topic of his price tag, Iyer took a pragmatic approach, acknowledging the pressure but staying focused on the team’s goal: “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 previously worked with Rahane, discussed the team’s preparations, especially with the opening match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru coming up 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,” Pandit said. He also emphasized the confidence gained from international experience, which will be vital for KKR’s success. “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 also looking forward to playing in front of their passionate supporters at Eden Gardens, 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 under Rahane, Bravo’s mentoring, and the backing of passionate fans, KKR appears to be well-positioned to defend their IPL 2025 title and make another championship run. The team is full of confidence and ready to take on the challenges ahead, aiming to add yet another successful season to their illustrious IPL history.