Kolkata team mentor Dwayne Bravo calls for faith in finishers after 39-Run loss to Gujarat

The Kolkata T20 team faced a 39-run defeat against the Gujarat side in their eighth game of the ongoing tournament at Eden Gardens on Monday. Chasing a target of 200, captain Ajinkya Rahane’s gritty half-century couldn’t prevent the team from falling short.

Reflecting on the result, team mentor Dwayne Bravo acknowledged the gaps: “We didn’t score enough runs. However, credit to our bowling group—they did well to keep them under 200 and gave us a chance. Unfortunately, we didn’t get the powerplay start we needed and fell away at the end.”

Bravo addressed the decision to send in young batsman Angkrish Raghuvanshi at number nine, saying, “That wasn’t the plan, but with the way the game unfolded, he slid down. We have a strong left-right batting order, and we try to use that tactically, especially against spin.”

Backing fellow West Indian Andre Russell, Bravo said, “He often comes in with just 14 to 15 balls left. He’s a proven finisher—we need to back him. Our finishers have delivered in the past, and we must trust them to do so again.” He added, “We’ll regroup and look ahead.”