Uthappa, who anchored KKR's 166 chase with his unbeaten 80 from 58 balls, said he was hurt after not being able to finish the job in Chennai.
"In the last game, I felt responsible for letting the team down. We had such a good start and needed less than five runs an over. I just needed to stay there and rotate the strike. I was really hurt," Uthappa told a post-match news conference at Eden Gardens.
"I just decided to hold one end and (Andre) Russell came in and wielded the bat like a magician. We're glad to bounce back," he said giving credit to his Windies partner for his unbeaten 55 from 32 as they stitched together unbroken 112-run to seal the chase."
He further said it was a blessing in disguise to take on the same team in back-to-back matches within a gap of two days.
"In a way, it was beneficial that we had the same team on the bounce against the same team in a couple of days. We're extremely motivated and wanted to get the job done."
"After the start they had, our bowlers did an exceptional job, we fielded well and contained them really well. We soaked up the pressure and played to our potential. It was extremely satisfying as a team."
Uthappa, who was last season's top run getter in their winning IPL triumph, hit his first half-century this season.
"We had a week before this started. I did not have any practice game. It took a few games to get off the blocks. You have to make minor changes to suit to the format. It took a little time. I was not converting my starts but in every game I was getting better and that gave me a lot of confidence.
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app
