IPL 2025: DJ Bravo Explains 200-Run Mark’s Decline And Why Fans And Not Pitches Define Home Advantage
Dwayne Bravo backed to get back to winning ways in the Indian Premier League once Kolkata Knight Riders players get their confidence back.
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) mentor Dwayne Bravo has his job cut out for him after the first three games of the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) season. Two losses punctuated by a win and up next Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), their opponents from last season’s final.
The former West Indies all-rounder though sounded positive at the pre-match press conference on Wednesday.
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“The message will always be from my side and from the coaching group to make sure that the morale and our energy is still in a positive place," DJ Bravo said.
“It’s still early days in the tournament. We’re not the only team that has two losses and one win, but it’s important for us to that is our main focus right now and the control the things that we can control," he added.
Bravo feels that bowlers are getting better, while batters are not placing too much importance on their wickets, contributing to lower scores.
“I think I think batters also not having that value of the wicket anymore bit reckless because they think as though it’s flat pitches, impact players and a lot of teams have gotten longer so the value for batsmanship is no longer there," Bravo said.
“Bowlers are getting smarter and they’re trying to use their strengths more and batsmen just have no value or their wickets anymore. So I guess is a combination of both," he added.
After KKR’s loss in the first game to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), Ajinkya Rahane had implied that his side would perform better in spinning conditions.
Ahead of KKR’s return, Bravo was asked about his thoughts on the pitch.
“I don’t much about pitches. For me, it is up to your players. The better team, the best team on the day will win the game. So whether the pitch is slow, whether it’s turning or not turning, for me, my language will always be that players make the necessary adjustments and play according to the conditions," Bravo said.
“What I know about home advantage is the fans. I think it is more important than how the pitch plays. I don’t really comment much about pitches but more than the pitches the fans in the stands cheering us on, that makes a difference," he added.
SRH boasts of a destructive batting line-up that has been tipped to possess the ability to breach the 300-run mark in T20 cricket. In their tournament opener, they came close but have since failed to get their act together.
Bravo stressed the fact that if SRH have their attacking plans set, KKR bowlers will counter it with defensive plans of their own.
When asked if batting is the main concern, Bravo said: “We working on being able to be smarter in situations. I think once we get that right, we will be fine. These guys are all quality players, so I just know that’s a matter of time before they get their confidence back. And once that happens, eventually we will start to win again."
300 The Target?
SRH fielding coach Ryan Cook attended the pre-match press conference and said that his side is not really under pressure after back-to-back failures from their batting unit.
“I think that our team is suited to play aggressive style. We’ve had to speak about 300 or any of those things as expectations that put on our players that we start by the positive brand of cricket take on the way we can, that is our strength," Ryan Cook said.
Despite two losses on the bounce, the SRH camp is not worrying.
“Sides are capable of beating every team. So you’re bound to have a couple of losses, sometimes they come in a row, sometimes they come one by one," he added.
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