Chandrakant Pandit is a domestic cricket legend in India. Under him, Mumbai, Vidarbha and Madhya Pradesh enjoyed great success in the Ranji Trophy. As of 2023, Pandit has been linked with Kolkata Knight Riders. Under him, Kolkata Knight Riders put up a fight show despite some top stars missing from the action in IPL 2023. However, according to David Wiese, his entry was not liked by several foreign stars. The all-rounder played in three matches for KKR in IPL 2023
“There were certain problems behind the scenes in the team. The boys were not happy with certain things that were going on, and often it was a difficult locker room. A new coach came in and he liked to do things in a certain way way, and that didn’t sit well with the players,” said David Wiese ‘Hitman for Hire: A Year in the Life of a Franchise Cricketer’ podcast hosted by Sam Keir.
He further said that some KKR stars were frustrated under Chandrakant Pandit.
“Guys were frustrated because a lot was changing, and the coach brought in things that he thought would bring success. But as a foreign player sometimes they don’t sit well. He is known in India as a fairly militant type of coach, a strict Disciplinarian. The foreign guys who have played all over the world don’t need someone to come in and tell him how to behave, what to wear and what to do. I thought it was chill, but there were players who were more stubborn than I.” he added.
“As the tournament goes on, you kind of feel whether you have a chance to qualify or not. It’s not about whether you play; it’s about being away from your family for a few more weeks. For me personally, The outcome of the game didn’t matter that much, but I still got sucked into personal appearances.”
He also mentioned Rinku Singh during the course of his conversation.
“As a player you appreciate it when guys do well. Rinku Singh hits five sixes, you can’t appreciate that. Only the result doesn’t get much emphasis anymore. You’re not nervous about whether you’re going to win. And instead you start investing in the boys’ personal performance.’
Topics mentioned in this article