WATCH — IPL in UAE: Kolkata Knight Riders skipper Dinesh Karthik says team will miss the Eden Gardens roar

Dubai: Kolkata Knight Riders skipper Dinesh Karthik says the team will miss the roar of their home crowd at Eden Gardens as the prepare for the 13th Edition of the Indian Premier League in the UAE.

In an interview on the KKR social media sites, the captain was asked what the impact the Eden Gardens fans have on the team.

“I think it is massive. the crowd and the energy that is affiliated with the crowd, Eden Gardens, Kolkata and the state of Bengal is something special. Only if you come play for KKR can you feel it. Irrespective of who the opponent is, they turn out in big numbers. Their love for us has been consistent throughout the good and bad times.”

Sadly, Karthik and his teammates will have to do without their faithful following in the UAE this time around. But the captain is determined to bring them back the title.

“The have had many tragedies this year with the coronavirus and then the cyclone that happened. So we are playing for two reasons. We are playing to win but we are also playing for the people of West Bengal because we want to put a smile on their faces.”