Chennai, April 14 (IANS) Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) head coach Abhishek Nayar admitted that the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 campaign has been a challenging one for the side, citing injuries and an underwhelming start, but asserted that the franchise’s core values remain unchanged as they gear up to face five time champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at MA Chidambaram Stadium on Tuesday.

“Anyone involved in the IPL, not only as a support staff but also as a player, feels the pressure. It’s the best tournament in the world, the most competitive tournament in the world. IPL and tournaments like that test you in every way,” Nayar said in a video released by IPL on X.

Reflecting on the team’s performance so far, Nayar acknowledged that the start has been far from ideal. “Yes, it’s been hard for us. The start has not been the ideal one, even from the standpoint of the support staff. But you expect that.”

He pointed out that injuries have significantly hampered the team’s plans. “When you come into a marquee tournament with a number of injuries and players unavailable, you know the challenges are against you. When you lose five or six players, especially bowlers, it becomes difficult to fulfil your plans.”

KKR prime bowler Harshit Rana was ruled out of the season due to injury. Akash Deep has also not joined the squad, while Matheesha Pathirana, who missed the early matches, has received the NOC and is likely to join the team on April 19.

Despite the setbacks, Nayar stressed that the team is not looking for excuses. “I don’t want to say we are in transition. When we ended the auction, we believed we had a team that could win the championship. We still believe that.”

Nayar also spoke about Rinku Singh, who has taken on additional responsibility as vice-captain this season.

“It’s a different challenge altogether. Although it’s not captaincy, it comes with responsibility. I think Rinku has taken it up really well and is slowly getting his head around it.”

Despite losing three out of four matches and one being abandoned due to rain, Nayar is hopeful that the players will grab the opportunity with both hands and surprise the opposition.

“It’s a sport, some teams will win, some will lose, and some will surprise you. The tournament is about when talent meets opportunity. We have the talent, and we are giving them the opportunity. It’s up to the players to grab it.”

KKR, who came with the biggest purse in the IPL 2026 Auction, has been placed in the last position in the points table with just one point in four matches.

–IANS

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