Red-hot opening pair. Unstinted support from the boss. Comeback spirit.

KKR’s final home match at Eden Gardens in this year’s IPL was delayed by rain. But even before the match started, there were several takeaways for the home crowd.

Metro spoke to some fans who had turned up at the Eden braving the elements.

Top gun(s)

There was a near unanimous verdict — that the opening pair of Sunil Narine and Phil Salt has been the driving force behind KKR’s impressive performance this year.

Md Safikul Alam, a first-year medical student from Howrah, said: “The opening partnership has been exceptional, especially in the powerplay.”

Just when doubters were saying Narine was nearing his shelf life at the KKR, the West Indian turned the tables and how. He had scored 461 runs before Saturday’s game, with an average of around 42 and a strike rate in excess of 183. Add 14 wickets to that. He is in the race for both the orange (most runs) and purple (most wickets) caps.

Salt, making his KKR debut, has matched Narine. He has scored 421 runs at an average of almost 43 and a strike-rate of 183.

“Salt is not only an explosive batsman but also an alert and agile keeper. I hope the KKR team management retains this player for the coming seasons,” said Ritindra Mukherjee, 23, a college graduate who came with his family from Hooghly to watch the match.

Boss who bonds

The SRK factor was very much in play, said supporters. Shah Rukh Khan was in the Eden stands, doing just-SRK things. A flying kiss here, a wave of hands there. Every time the big screen showed the trademark dimpled smile, the crowd erupted in response.

“He has always been so sporting and graceful. Even in defeat,” said Sheikh Shahjahan, 23, a final-year medical student at the Calcutta Medical College and Hospital.

“Shah Rukh Khan is the best motivator. Most importantly, he treats the team as his family instead of business,” Shahjahan said.

He talked about the pep talk SRK gave KKR players in the dressing room after the unexpected loss against Rajasthan Royals, where Jos Butler took the game away from the home team almost single-handedly.

Weather

Rain has marred multiple IPL games at the Eden. But this time, the whole of April was dry. There was not a single thunderstorm, the familiar foe.

Until the last home game.Abhipreta Debnath 25, who works at a private bank, said: “We were praying for a curtailed match.”

The city had been reeling under scorching conditions for days in April.

The matches that started in the afternoon were especially taxing but the Eden spirit was intact.

Serious business

More than one fan credited Gautam Gambhir,KKR’s mentor, for thenever-say-die attitude the team has been showing sofar.

Gambhir, who led KKR to two IPL crowns, has been the subject of memes on social media for his “always serious” face in the dugout. But he is still very much a crowd favourite.

“He brings a steely resolve to the side. Otherwise,the team would not have bounced back after defeats like it has done this year,”said Manish Grewal, a Lake Town resident.

Nays

Some things never change, like the dirty washrooms and lack of hot meals.

Puja Biswas, 27, a homemaker from Krishnagar who came with her two-year-old son, said: “Either sell hot meals or let us allow food from home”. Ashmita Singha, 48, from Kankurgachi, said: “The washrooms inside must be maintained properly. It is difficult to use them.”