Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], March 30 : The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) head coach Chandrakant Pandit exuded confidence ahead of their upcoming clash against Mumbai Indians (MI) at the Wankhede Stadium on Monday.
The match will be KKR's third in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, following an impressive eight-wicket victory over the Rajasthan Royals in their previous game in Guwahati. In contrast, Mumbai Indians are searching for form after losing their two opening matches of the season.
When discussing the Mumbai Indians' bowling attack, Pandit acknowledged they would miss Jasprit Bumrah but cautioned against taking the rest of their bowling lineup lightly.
"Bumrah makes a difference to Mumbai, but their other bowlers are also quite capable," Pandit noted, as quoted from a release by KKR.
The KKR coach believes his team can capitalise on Mumbai's poor start but will be wary of home advantage.
"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," he said.
Speaking about Rahane's leadership, Pandit praised his captain's ability to remain calm under pressure.
"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 remarked.
The coach also expressed satisfaction with Quinton de Kock's recent performance, where he scored an unbeaten 97 to lead the team to victory. Head coach Pandit noted that his aggressive approach in the powerplay provides the team with strong momentum.
"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," Pandit remarked.
Head coach Pandit also confirmed that KKR star Sunil Narine has fully recovered from his injury and will be available for selection after practicing with the team.
As KKR aim to maintain their winning momentum against a struggling Mumbai Indians side, Monday's encounter at Wankhede shapes up as a compelling early-season contest in IPL 2025.