While everything has gone exceptionally well for Shreyas Iyer and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the ongoing IPL 2024 season, their luck with the toss has been quite the opposite. Despite being the most dominant side this season, KKR’s captain Shreyas Iyer’s repeated failures at the toss have been a significant concern. Earlier this month, following a commanding 98-run win over Lucknow Super Giants, Iyer addressed the issue, revealing that he had lost the toss eight times in eleven games up to that point.
In the post-match presentation, Iyer shared a light-hearted take on the situation, saying, “The last 6 matches in the dressing room there has been havoc, teammates are coming in and asking, ‘Skip, what’s happening? We are losing tosses, but we are winning games, and that’s what matters.'”
However, Iyer’s bad luck with the toss didn’t end there. He lost two more tosses in the next four games, while the remaining two were washed out due to rain—one without a toss and the other after the toss, which he won. This string of lost tosses underscored the role of luck, especially in a sport where the toss can significantly influence the outcome of the game.
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In the all-important final against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on Sunday (May 26), Iyer decided to try a novel approach. After receiving the coin, he threw it in the air and hilariously spun himself around, perhaps hoping to change his luck. Unfortunately, this humorous attempt did not alter his fortunes as he lost the toss yet again.
🚨 Toss Update 🚨
Sunrisers Hyderabad 🧡 elect to bat in the #Final against Kolkata Knight Riders 💜
Follow the Match ▶️ https://t.co/lCK6AJCdH9#TATAIPL | #KKRvSRH | #TheFinalCall pic.twitter.com/f4PWxfLFEK
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 26, 2024
SRH captain Pat Cummins chose to bat first, but Iyer wasn’t disappointed with the outcome. He expressed confidence in his team’s strategy to bowl first, explaining, “We would have bowled anyway; we’ll get a fair idea about how the pitch will play. It’s a red soil pitch similar to the one we played on last game. We need to stay present, stick to the basics, and execute all our plans.”
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Iyer also highlighted the importance of every player taking responsibility, especially in such a big game. He acknowledged the nerves among players experiencing their first final but emphasized the opportunity it presented. “Every individual is taking responsibility; this is a big game. We have plenty of players playing in a final for the first time—nervous, but this is also a good chance. We’re going with the same team,” he added.
Even in the first qualifier against SRH, KKR had lost the toss but managed to win the game by eight wickets. Iyer and his teammates are hopeful for a similar result in the final, aiming to secure KKR’s third IPL title and their first since 2014.
