Kolkata Knight Riders practised without Dinesh Karthik on the eve of their IPL match against Rajasthan Royals and may look like things are falling apart for SRK franchise, but Carlos Brathwaite said they that the team environment is still good
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KKR have lost 5 matches on the trot under Dinesh Karik and it may look like the team confidence has been cracked and the team room atmosphere is not positive as KKR are on the verge of elimination with five losses in a row, the latest coming against Sunrisers Hyderabad at Eden Gardens on Sunday. The KKR teams think tank decided to give the under pressure and underperforming Dinesh Kartik a few days off to rejuvenate himself and come back stronger than ever.
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Skipper Dinesh Karthik, along with the middle order duo of Robin Uthappa and Shubman Gill who were training in Mumbai, checked in late in the evening but KKR all-rounder Carlos Brathwaite said the mood in the camp was absolutely fine and there is nothing to worry about.
"I think the mood in the camp is good. We are still teasing each other. As a professional player, you cannot allow results to alter your demeanour or your mindset," Brathwaite said.
"If you allow that then the remaining four games will be even harder. We still laugh out at each other. We are still a healthy dressing room. I feel privileged to be part of it. I still enjoy coming to work practising and realising the game better."
The main team regular players were not to be seen in the match-eve practice sessions, and the Windies T20 skipper, who has played just one match this season, was sent for the media interaction on the eve of their game.
Brathwaite said the KKR team do not have a leadership group per se and anyone who is a born-leader can contribute.
"If you are a leader by nature, then that will come on in whatever you say, and do, and how you say things and how you do it. I've been speaking in team meetings, speaking to the coach, to the captain to the manager. I think a leader is natural, it's something that happens. I see myself as one.
KKRs biggest letdown this season has been their bowling department as they have not been able to give regular breakthroughs.
"I just don't want to single out bowling unit because as a team we haven't played cricket collectively that we want. I don't think we batted as well as we want. It will be unfair to single out the bowlers," he said.
KKR have to win all their remaining four matches from here on and the Windies all-rounder said they're in search of the win and then carry forward from there on. "We just need to find a spark from somewhere either individually or collectively to arrest the slide and maintain that momentum in the business part of the tournament.
"I prefer to have six losses, rather than having them in the last six games and then being knocked out. So as a team, we haven't been good enough. Full stop. It's a matter of getting better and putting out the perfect game together," he said.
West Indies are yet to select their World Cup squad and Brathwaite said he's a bit nervous but the focus for him is only on KKR at the moment.
"I am a little nervous. It's a privilege to represent your nation whenever you get the chance to. In a World Cup, it's even more prestigious occasion. So if selected looking forward to being given my best but for now, my job is with KKR.
"As a franchise, they selected me to come and do my best, so it would be disrespectful of me to be looking too far ahead at the World Cup when we still have four games potentially seven looking to win a Cup.".
Kolkata Knight Riders will look at tonight's match against Rajasthan as an opportunity to bounce back and shrug off the poor run of form they have had this year.
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