Defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) got off to the worst start possible with a seven-wicket win against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on March 22 (Saturday). KKR’s all-rounder Andre Russell, too, had quite a disappointing outing, with just four runs off three balls, getting castled by Suyash Sharma’s googly. 

“Sport is about failing,” Arun explained in the pre-match press conference. “For champions like Russ, it must be weighing on his mind that he has failed in the last game, and he is out to prove himself in every single game.”

Arun also expressed that the franchise isn’t too worried about the loss ahead of their clash against Rajasthan Royals at Barsapara Stadium. 

“We are not too worried about it,” Arun stated. “There are a lot of positives from the first game, and some lessons to be learned as well.” The coach emphasized the team’s resilience, pointing out that the key to success lies in seizing critical moments during matches.

“Every team is batting and bowling well,” he said. “But the team that snatches those crucial moments at any given point of time is going to win.”

Not just that, he was also confident of the conditions on offer, stating that the wicket looked good for the Knight Riders. 

“The wicket looks good, the conditions are excellent, and the outfield looks really, really good,” he noted.

Arun stressed the team’s holistic approach to strategy, stating, “There’s no point in just targeting one player. We have to look at the team as a whole and devise a strategy accordingly.”

Currently, KKR are the bottom pile of the table, in seventh place, only ahead of Rajasthan Royals.