Follow UsMumbai Indians (MI) have made yet another poor start to an Indian Premier League (IPL), losing their first two encounters - against Chennai Super kings (CSK) and Gujarat Titans (GT). They will be playing their first game of the season at the Wankhede Stadium, and will hope to make the best of the home conditions.
However, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) head coach Chandrakant Pandit has urged his team to take advantage of their poor form as MI have not been able to play at "that" level.
"More than anything, I'm focused on how well our team played in the last game. Unfortunately, Mumbai Indians haven't been performing at that level, which gives us another advantage to put pressure on them. However, since the game is in Mumbai, we need to adapt quickly to the conditions here, and that's what we've been planning for. I'm confident we'll be able to do that," Pandit said ahead of the clash against MI.
"[Jasprit] Bumrah makes a difference to Mumbai, but their other bowlers are also quite capable," he added.
Pandit also praised Ajinkya Rahane's captaincy, lauding his leadership skills.
"Everyone is aware of Rahane's capabilities. He's not just leading KKR, but he's also captained the Mumbai team and India. He possesses diverse leadership skills and approaches. He also had an excellent season in the domestic circuit, and you could see his confidence in our first game. He's highly respected within the team. People particularly mention how calm and composed he remains when handling difficult situations," Pandit said.
Pandit, who took charge of the KKR side in 2023, is also pleased with the way Quinton de Kock has started off this season. De Kock smashed an unbeaten 97 off just 61 deliveries, and Pandit is happy with the sort of confidence he possesses.
"The way Quinton has started this tournament has been impressive. His confidence level, especially in T20 cricket, is remarkable. Having someone who can attack in the first six overs makes a difference for the entire team. That's the quality he brings," the 63-year-old said.
Pandit also confirmed that Sunil Narine trained with the team and will play a role against MI after missing the previous game through illness.