File image of KKR coach Chandrankant Pandit©Twitter
Chandrakant Pandit is a national cricket legend in India. Under him, Mumbai, Vidarbha and Madhya Pradesh enjoyed a lot of success in the Ranji Trophy. Since 2023, Pandit has been associated with the Kolkata Knight Riders. Under him, Kolkata Knight Riders put on a fighting spectacle despite the absence of some big stars from IPL 2023. However, his entry was not appreciated by several foreign stars, according to David Wiese. The all-rounder played three matches for KKR in IPL 2023
“There were some issues behind the scenes in the team. The guys weren’t happy with some things that were going on, and a lot of the time it was a tough locker room. A new coach was coming in and he liked doing things a certain way, and it didn’t sit well with the players,” David Wiese said. “Hitman for Hire: A Year in the Life of a Franchise Cricketer” podcast hosted by Sam Keir.
He went on to say that some of the KKR stars were frustrated under Chandrakant Pandit.
“The guys were frustrated because a lot of things had changed, and the coach brought things that he thought would bring success. But as a foreign player, sometimes they don’t get along well. He is known in India like a pretty militant type of coach, a strict disciplinary coach. Overseas guys who have played all over the world don’t need someone to come and tell them how to behave, what to wear and what to do .I was relaxed with it, but there were players more stubborn than me,” he added.
“As the tournament goes on, you feel if you have a chance to qualify or not. It’s not about whether you play, it’s just about spending a few more weeks away from your family . For me personally, the outcome of the game didn’t matter much, but I was still drawn into personal performances.”
He also mentioned Rinku Singh during his conversation.
“As a player, you appreciate when guys do well. Rinku Singh hits five sixes – you can’t not enjoy that. It’s just that the result doesn’t matter much anymore. You don’t stay nervous to know if you’re going to win. And you start investing in the guys’ personal performance instead. “
Topics mentioned in this article