Varun Chakravarthy and Harshit Rana’s prolific performance helped Kolkata Knight Riders clinch their third IPL crown last year. Both have donned the India cap since with mystery spinner Varun playing a key role in India’s Champions Trophy triumph last Sunday.

The Knight Riders, of course, are quite excited to have a much improved Varun and pacer Harshit in their ranks in their quest for a successful defence of their title.

“See, both of them have been doing so well, not only in the Champions Trophy but for India as a whole. They have done well for KKR as well over the last two seasons. So obviously, they have been key players.

“I’m sure the advantage we are going to get will be the confidence that they’re going to carry from the international level to KKR. So that’s the best part and that’s what we’re looking at,” Knights’ head coach Chandrakant Pandit said at a news conference before their training session at Eden Gardens on Thursday.

It also appears that the three-time champions are intent on moving forward instead of falling back on the gains from their former mentor Gautam Gambhir.

Just as vice-captain Venkatesh Iyer was asked about how much Gambhir’s absence would be felt this year, Pandit quickly stepped in to say: “Guys, you know the current scenario, so let us not go back... Please make it comfortable for us.”

For sure, Pandit, a renowned figure in the Indian cricket coaching circles, will have a bigger role in the Knights’ think-tank this time around. And he has already passed the message on to the rest regarding the approach he wants the team to adopt when they take the field.

“Of course, we’re going to play as hard as possible and be as serious as we have always been. That is how our approach will be. We should have confidence in our own strengths instead of looking at somebody else’s. This is what I believe,” Pandit said.

“I am sure that all of us and the captain (Ajinkya Rahane) will think the same way. Whatever the challenges coming from the opposition, whichever player or whichever surface we are going to play on, whatever strength they (opponents) have and all, we will be coming in with a plan for them.”

Bravo way

KKR may well be keen on moving forward, but their new mentor Dwayne Bravo seems eager to “find out some of the good things” Gambhir did in the team’s unforgettable 2024 campaign.

“I think it’s going to be disrespectful of me not to try and find out some of the good things he (Gambhir) did last season,” Bravo said. “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. And we were able to get it.

“Nonetheless, I think GG (Gambhir) has his style, while I have mine. We were both successful in our own ways. Yeah definitely, I messaged him a few times. But again, I’ll be leaning a lot on these guys because they had a successful formula and it’s important that we follow that formula,” he said.