'The wicket changed after the powerplay' - Shreyas Iyer analyzes KKR's first loss of IPL 2024

In a surprising twist, the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) experienced their first loss of the season in the Indian Premier League, with captain Shreyas Iyer attributing the defeat to the challenging Chennai pitch.

During their match at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on April 8th, KKR struggled to make an impact, scoring only 137 runs in their innings and ultimately losing the game by seven wickets. In a post-match statement, Iyer pointed out the Chepauk pitch's unpredictable nature as a major factor in their subpar performance.

"We got a phenomenal start in the powerplay, but we lost consecutive wickets. We weren't able to assess the conditions quickly after the powerplay, scoring runs wasn't easy. They (CSK) know the conditions pretty well, they bowled according to their plans. Wasn't easy to go after them from the first ball. We were trying to construct the innings, but it didn't fall in place according to the plan," Shreyas Iyer told the broadcaster after the game.

While KKR's bowlers were unable to defend their modest total, CSK comfortably chased down the target in just 17.4 overs, clinching a convincing victory.

We thought 160-170 was a good score, but we lost momentum.: Iyer

CSK's all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja stood out as the standout player, taking three crucial wickets for a mere 18 runs. His impressive bowling, complemented by Tushar Deshpande and Mustafizur Rahman, dismantled KKR's batting lineup.

"The wicket changed after the powerplay. We were in a comfortable place and we thought 160-170 was a good score, but we lost momentum. We have to go back to the drawing board and got to learn from that. I am glad this happened at the start of the tournament. When we go back, we know our home conditions pretty well. We need to analyse the situations and need to make the best use of it," Iyer concluded.

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Despite the setback, KKR remain near the top of the league table, although their unbeaten streak has come to an end. As they regroup for upcoming matches, the team's focus will be on addressing their batting issues and adapting to different pitch conditions.