Bravo’s wisdom of Chepauk over his years at Chennai as player and coach will be coming handy for KKR against CSK.
Bravo’s wisdom might be crucial as KKR bank on Chepauk familiarity.
Venkatesh Iyer, the vice captain of the Kolkata Knight Riders, acknowledged that the team’s “local” understanding of Chepauk conditions will be helpful in their crucial matchup with the Chennai Super Kings. The reigning champions, who have had a lacklustre start to the 2025 Indian Premier League, are looking to upset a nervous CSK team that has lost their last four games.
With players in their group who are familiar with the local conditions, KKR now has the chance to increase the pressure. While Moeen Ali and captain Ajinkya Rahane have recently played for CSK, lead spinner Varun Chakaravarthy plays domestic cricket for Tamil Nadu.
“Irrespective of the conditions, I think Varun is a world-class spinner now,” Venkatesh said ahead of the game. “He delivers when it matters the most. But yeah, him playing in his home ground is going to be of huge importance. It’s going to be a huge factor as well, also considering that Ajinkya played here for two years, Moeen Ali played for two years. So, I think we’ve got a good thinktank as well with regards to how this pitch will play.”
Speaking on Bravo’s impact at KKR, Venkatesh heaped praise on the veteran, highlighting that there is no substitute for experience. “To be honest, to play under Bravo is very exciting,” the 30-year-old noted. “He has played over 600 professional T20 matches and I’ve said this in many places: nothing is more important than experience because T20 cricket is a game of experience.
“The more experience you have, the more situations you have seen. So, he has an answer for every situation because he himself has lived in that situation. Plus, he has spent a lot of time at CSK. He knows how to bat and bowl on this ground and he knows what tactics to use.
“Apart from that, I think a big factor is that whoever comes in a new set-up, it takes time for them to get used to that set-up. But with DJ, that time was not needed. Everyone welcomed him in our team. We used his experience. We accepted it as a benefit for the team. So, I think he has become family and I am very happy to play with him.”