KKR’s first victory in seven matches rejuvenated the team’s fans who flocked to Eden Gardens on Sunday.

Arnab Ganguly, a resident of Behala, arrived with his 12-year-old son, tickets in hand for Sunday’s match. The purple brigade’s dismal run had left him wavering. “I wasn’t sure about coming to the ground, but my son convinced me in the end. I’m glad he did,” said a beaming Ganguly after the match.

Chasing a modest target of 155, KKR lost wickets in quick succession and at one stage, the visitors, Rajasthan Royals, looked poised to outplay the Knights. However, Rinku Singh and Anukul Roy held their nerve to steer the team home.

KKR fans brought the noise to the stands despite a string of defeats leading up to Sunday’s match. Nevertheless, five losses in six games, with one match cancelled due to bad weather, had left many questioning the purple brigade’s selection calls and on-field strategies.

Combination

Many fans said the absence of a settled opening pair was hurting the team.

The squad boasts of two explosive New Zealand openers, Tim Seifert and Finn Allen. But they are not being played together, a strategy that has puzzled many fans.

Nityagopal Mandal, 23, who came from Malda, said the team needed consistency at the top. “The powerplay is crucial. We don’t see many runs during the powerplay. You need both attacking intent and stability. Seifert and Allen have shown they can provide both. The top order consistency is missing,” he said.

Some fans argued that pacers should be used upfront rather than relying on spin early.

Pacers like Vaibhav Arora should be used in the powerplay to control scoring. Spinners like Sunil Narine can be used for dead overs, said Agrodeep Das, who came with his father from Ultadanga.

Captaincy

Many fans said that the team should replace the struggling captain, Ajinkya Rahane.

Many of them ruled the management’s decision to let go of Sreyash Iyer, who led KKR to its third IPL trophy two years ago.

Many said Iyer’s 66 off 34 balls against the Mumbai Indians on Thursday was painful to watch.

“Rahane is a fine player, but captaincy demands a different skill set. Iyer had that edge,” said Sudip Mazumdar, 46, who came from Texas.

He added that the team management should consider whether a change in captaincy might serve the side better.

Shreya Ghose, 31, a resident of Shyambazar who came with her family to watch the match, said: “A captain needs to read the game quickly and back his players. Right now, those decisions seem delayed.”

Wonderkid Vaibhav

On Sunday, a section of fans turned up at the stands in Eden Gardens wearing Vaibhav Sooryavanshi T-shirts.

“It’s about enjoying good cricket at the end of the day. Sooryavanshi is one of the youngest players in the squad, and he is playing really well. I am here to support Sooryavanshi more than his team,” said Rakesh Das, who came from Central Avenue.