Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on Wednesday named Chandrakant Pandit as their new head coach. The position was vacated after Brendon McCullum stepped down with getting the job of England’s national team head coach. Notably, Chandrakant Pandit coached Madhya Pradesh to their first-ever Ranji Trophy title earlier this year.
“KKR announced today (Wednesday, 17 August) that Chandrakant Pandit would be its new head coach,” the franchise said in a statement. Venky Mysore also reacted to Pandit's appointment as KKR's new head coach and praised the 60-year-old for his terrific work in the domestic circuit.
“We are very excited that Chandu is joining the Knight Riders family to lead us through the next phase of our journey. His deep commitment to what he does and his track record of success in domestic cricket, is there for everyone to see. We are looking forward to his partnership with our skipper Shreyas Iyer, which promises to be an exciting one," said Mysore.
Notably, Chandrakant Pandit is one of the most successful coaches in India's domestic circuit, especially in Ranji Trophy. The 60-year-old has won six Ranji Trophy titles with three different teams in his coaching career so far. While Pandit won three titles with Mumbai in 2003, 2204, and 2016, he won two titles with Vidarbha in 2018 and 2019. His latest success was with Madhya Pradesh as the team won their maiden title this year.
Excited: Chandrakant Pandit
After getting named as Brendon McCullum's replacement, Chandrakant Pandit also shared his feelings. The 60-year-old said he feels honored and is excited to join the Knight Riders family and looking forward to the challenge.
“It’s a great honour and privilege to be given this responsibility. I have heard from players and others who have been associated with the Knight Riders, about the family culture, as well as the tradition of success that has been created. I am excited about the quality of the support staff and the players who are part of the set up and I am looking forward to this opportunity with all humility and positive expectations," said Chandrakant Pandit.