‘One spark will take us forward’ -  Chandrakant Pandit hopeful of better show from KKR in second half of IPL 2023

The 16th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 got off to a rocky start for the two-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders as Nitish Rana and Co. lost their first game against the Shikhar Dhawan-led Punjab Kings. However, they made a comeback and won their next two games before succumbing to defeat in the next four matches.

Currently, the side finds itself eighth on the points table with four points in seven games with their next game lined up against the mighty Royal Challengers Bangalore. However, KKR head coach Chandrakant Pandit feels that they would look to put in better performances in the second half of the IPL 2023.

"This is the beginning, I would say, this is the beginning again in the second half. Winning the first game, we have beaten them earlier. That confidence we should have. I am sure that just one spark in our team that will take us forward," he said in a video shared by KKR's YouTube channel.

Not that we haven't played good cricket, individuals have raised their hands: Chandrakant Pandit

Having built a reputation for winning big in the domestic circuit, Pandit would be keen to replicate the same with Kolkata and propel the side to their third IPL title. The former Indian cricketer opined that keeping a positive attitude in the forthcoming matches will help the side come back from the four-match losing streak.

"One has to be very optimistic. I mean, how I look at this tournament now is that the tournament is starting for us from tomorrow. And that is a positive angle from which I look at it. Obviously, a different environment has been created and the confidence level which we had in the first-half, we shouldn't forget about that," Chandrakant Pandit said. "It's not that we have not been playing good cricket. So every individual player has raised his hand and shown us that he is ready to take responsibility."