Anushka Sharma and Hrithik Roshan at the opening ceremony
Calcutta: 'Go4more' has been the Kolkata Knight Riders' tag line leading into IPL 8. With two titles in the last three seasons, Gautam Gambhir and Co. have shown the resilience and killer instinct needed to mould the side into a champion unit.
How else would one describe their record nine-match winning streak that saw them clinch the title in 2014? That too after two wins from their first seven matches.
Gambhir calls it the "KKR spirit", but it is also about the belief and the confidence that has been drilled into the side.
The Knight Riders captain harped on this element as they launch their campaign against Mumbai Indians at the Eden, on Wednesday.
Sunil Narine's clearance will give them a spring in their steps. The off-spinner has been an integral part of Knight Riders' plans and it's his four overs that can make all the difference in this format.
To the untrained eye, it is difficult to pinpoint any subtle changes to his remodelled action, but Narine seems at ease with himself.
However, whether he remains equally effective will be something that will be followed with keen interest around the world.
"We all will see that tomorrow, but he's a quality player, a quality individual and a tough guy. All these things will come to his advantage," said Gambhir.
"In such situations, first you need to be tough mentally to absorb whatever has happened and come back strong... He has showed how mentally tough he is."
Gambhir, though, is unwilling to put Narine under pressure. "Even if he bowls a straight ball, he will be an asset for us and will always remain an asset."
The Mumbai Indians' captain, Rohit Sharma, couldn't keep Narine out of his plans, but is taking a practical approach.
"We don't know what action he's bowling with," said Rohit. "Narine wants to prove a point, but for us it's not just about him... We also have to counter 16 more overs."
But all that could mean little if the weather plays spoilsport. There's forecast of thundershowers in the evening. Gambhir wasn't willing to read much into such possibilities.
"There are a lot of things that are beyond our control and we don't think much about them. Whatever happens will be the same for both the sides," he said.
The Knight Riders have a more or less settled unit and it will be about the players peaking at the right time. Gambhir's experience and ability to adapt is his biggest asset while the likes of Robin Uthappa and Manish Pandey have had a decent domestic season with Karnataka.
Uthappa, last season's Purple Cap winner, will have to replicate his form for the Knight Riders to show the same consistency and depth in their batting.
Despite being repeatedly ignored by the national selectors, his form had been a real eye opener during the last season.
The same applies for Pandey, whose superb century went a long way in the Knight Riders successfully chasing a 200-run target in the final.
Rohit is aware of the Knight Riders' awesome crop of players in the domestic circuit.
"They have contributed as a team. Their domestic players have got a fair bit of idea on how to bat on these wickets. They did well last season. They bat deep," reminded Rohit.
The Mumbai Indians captain, too, has a special liking for the Eden wicket.
Besides his world record 264 against Sri Lanka in November, he had also scored 109 off 60 balls against the Knight Riders during the 2012 season.
If his form in the World Cup was any indication, the Morne Morkels and the Umesh Yadavs could be in for some tough time.
Not that the Knight Riders can rest easy. If Lasith Malinga's toe-crushers are not menacing enough, there's Ranganath Vinay Kumar at hand to exploit any weaknesses of his former teammates.
Sachin Tendulkar's presence during nets on Tuesday will serve as an inspiration for the 2013 champions, but it remains to be seen how much of the famous Australian aggressive mentality Ricky Ponting might have been able to drill into the side.
Rohit has already warned that he's not averse to a war of words if need be.
"It's bound to happen in a high intensity game. Players are expressive and want to show that on the field. The only thing is not to cross the line," he said.
Whatever the circumstances, the Knight Riders' ability to treat no situation as lost has often come in handy on their way to proving their supremacy. But a fluent start could always make their 'Go4more' campaign a bit easier.
TEAMS
Kolkata Knight Riders (likely): Gautam Gambhir, Robin Uthappa, Manish Pandey, Yusuf Pathan, Shakib-al Hasan, Ryan ten Doeschate, Surya Kumar Yadav, Piyush Chawla, Sunil Narine, Morne Morkel, Umesh Yadav
Mumbai Indians (likely): Lendl Simmons, Aaron Finch, Parthiv Patel, Rohit Sharma, Kieron Pollard, Ambati Rayudu, Aditya Tare, Harbhajan Singh, Ranganath Vinay Kumar, Lasith Malinga, Pragyan Ojha.
