Kolkata, Apr 22 (PTI) Kolkata Knight Riders CEO Venky Mysore has thrown his weight behind the team despite its stuttering campaign this season, calling it a “resilient” unit and urging players to draw inspiration from the side’s dramatic turnaround in the title-winning 2014 season under Gautam Gambhir.

The defending champions slumped to their fifth defeat in eight matches on Sunday, going down by 39 runs to Gujarat Titans at Eden Gardens.

With only six points on the board, KKR now face an uphill task in their bid to reach the playoffs, needing to win at least five of their remaining six matches to stay in contention.

“This is a very resilient team, the Knight Riders. This is our 18th season, we’ve always been in top-three,” Mysore said during a promotional event here.

He recalled their campaigns in 2014 and 2021 when they bounced back, winning the title and reaching the final respectively.

“There are two instances that come to my mind that I always share with new people who come into the setup…

“In 2014, at the halfway stage we won only two and lost five, but you know what happened in 2014, we set an IPL record and won nine games on the trot and won the IPL.

“After that we played the Champions League, and we won five in a row. So there’s a record of 14 wins in a row. That was not a flash in the pan. In 2021, we again had two wins and five losses, we went on to play the final.

“So anything can happen in this format. There’s still plenty of games left and it’s a matter of somebody showing that inspiration to get us across the line. The inspiration can come from anywhere.” Mysore urged fans and critics alike not to get too caught up in the league table, highlighting that the IPL’s unpredictability often offers unexpected turnarounds.

“Sometimes you get caught up with the IPL, we see the table, wins and losses… then you put things in perspective — there’s a life way beyond table, wins and losses — and you can draw inspiration from anywhere. The kind of experience we have, certainly something can spark.” The franchise has brought back their former assistant coach Abhishek Nayar into the fold. Nayar, who had briefly parted ways with KKR to join as India’s assistant coach, returned just a day after the news broke that his contract with the BCCI was terminated.

The timing of Nayar’s return could not have been more crucial, as the team’s batters are undergoing a tough phase and they would be looking to regroup and reset.

Aside from skipper Ajinkya Rahane, who has shown steady form but has not been able to carry the team over the line, the rest of the batting line-up has faltered under pressure.

Rahane expressed joy at Nayar’s return, describing him as an invaluable part of the KKR ecosystem.

“It’s good to have Abhishek back in the setup. He’s been an important member of the side. As players, for me, we all are really happy to see him back.

“He’s really passionate, he knows each and every player. His role in this team is really important so we all are really happy,” Rahane said. PTI TAP AM TAP AM AM