Chandrakant Pandit Says KKR Missed Shreyas Iyer
Former Kolkata Knight Riders head coach Chandrakant Pandit has said it was unfortunate for the franchise to lose Shreyas Iyer after their IPL 2024 title-winning season. Pandit said Shreyas was a strong captain and an important part of KKR’s successful campaign, but certain strategic decisions meant the franchise could not retain him.
KKR Missed Shreyas Iyer After IPL Title
Pandit said Shreyas had played a major role in KKR’s title win as captain and handled the team well during the successful campaign. He added that losing players like Shreyas and Phil Salt was disappointing, but such decisions are often shaped by auction strategy and team planning.
KKR won the IPL 2024 title under Shreyas before he moved away from the franchise ahead of the next season.
Chandrakant Pandit On KKR Struggles
Speaking about KKR’s current form, Pandit said the team’s poor run was not due to a lack of effort. He pointed to injuries and fitness concerns around key players, including Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy, as factors that affected team balance.
He said KKR had been trying different combinations, but performances had not clicked consistently. Pandit added that the team should focus on finishing strongly even if results do not go their way.
Pandit Backs Ajinkya Rahane And Rinku Singh
Pandit defended Ajinkya Rahane’s T20 approach, saying the senior batter plays a controlled role at the top of the order. He said Rahane’s job is often to stabilise the innings after the powerplay.
On Rinku Singh, Pandit said the left-hander has repeatedly shown the temperament to finish games, though the team can promote him depending on match situations.
Vaibhav Suryavanshi And Rajat Patidar Praised
Pandit also praised Rajat Patidar’s fearless batting and leadership qualities. He said Patidar has the ability to dominate bowlers across formats.
The veteran coach also backed young Vaibhav Suryavanshi, saying age should not be the main factor if a player is performing consistently.
