IPL 2025: KKR does not want to change its winning formula, says Dwayne Bravo

New KKR mentor Dwayne Bravo aims to maintain winning formula, leaning on Gambhir's successful strategies for IPL title defense.

New Kolkata Knight Riders mentor Dwayne Bravo does not want the Indian Premier League defending champion to change its winning formula.

Bravo has communicated with Gautam Gambhir, who mentored the side to its third title before moving on to coach India, while taking up the new responsibility.

“It’s going to be disrespectful of me not to try and find out some of the good things he (Gambhir) did last season. The core of the team is here. It was our duty to go into the auction and try to get back as much as the same squad of players from the championship winning team. We were able to get that. Unfortunately, we lost some players,” Bravo said at the season opening press conference of the franchise at the Eden Garden in Kolkata on Thursday (March 13, 2025).

“GG has his style, I have my style. We’re both successful in our own ways. Definitely, I messaged him a few times. I will be leaning a lot on these guys because they had a successful formula. It’s important that we follow that formula.”

Bravo, who was part of the Caribbean Premier League champion Trinbago Knight Riders, a sister franchise of KKR, said, “That energy and that vibe, I am going to try to bring that here as well. It is already a successful team. We look at building on that.”

Captain Ajinkya Rahane stuck to his ‘team first’ philosophy. “It’s an honour to be the captain of this wonderful franchise. Chandu (coach Chandrakant Pandit) Sir and I worked together when he was with the Mumbai team. He’s very disciplined, focused, and knows how to get the best out of every individual,” said Rahane.

“For me, it’s always about having good communication with our players. Giving them that freedom on the field to express themselves and try and understand each other. It will be a challenge for us to defend the title. That’s why we play cricket.