"There were certain issues behind the scenes" - David Wiese opens up on Chandu Pandit's coaching style and the lows of KKR's IPL 2023 campaign
Former Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) all-rounder David Wiese has opened up about the atmosphere in the franchise's dressing room during the 2023 IPL.
The two-time champions, who were without regular captain Shreyas Iyer, endured a tough campaign last year. They finished seventh, with 12 points from 14 games, and missed out on the playoffs for the second season running.
Wiese, presumably signed as a backup for Andre Russell, played just three games. Consigned to a bit-part role, he scored 21 runs at a strike rate of 190.91 and didn't pick any wicket.
Namibia's star all-rounder has revealed that things weren't all rosy inside the dressing room and that the reason for the same was not the team's indifferent form. On the Hitman for Hire: A year in the life of a franchise cricketer podcast hosted by Sam Keir, he said:
"There were certain issues going on behind the scenes in the team. Guys weren't happy with certain things that were going on, and a lot of the times, it was a tough changing room.
"There was a new coach coming in, and he liked to do things a certain way, and that didn't sit well with the players."
Chandrakant Pandit has been a largely successful coach in Indian domestic circles, but he has sometimes come under criticism for being too old-fashioned with his methods.
Certain players have reportedly expressed discontent with his coaching style, and Wiese disclosed that those sentiments were shared by a section of the KKR dressing room.
"Guys were frustrated because a lot changed, and the coach brought in things that he thought would bring success. But as an overseas player, they sometimes don't sit well. He's known in India as a fairly militant type of coach, a strict disciplinarian.
"The overseas guys who've played all over the world don't need someone coming in and telling him how to behave and what to wear and what to do. I was chill with it, but there were players more stubborn than me."
David Wiese shares interesting insight into team morale once playoff qualification is ruled out
KKR were in the hunt for the playoffs at the very start of the competition, winning two of their first three games. However, a mid-season slump saw them drop four games on the trot, and it became clear that the other teams were ahead in the race.
David Wiese shared an interesting insight into what an IPL dressing room looks like when the team isn't guaranteed a place in the knockouts. He said that while the result doesn't mean as much anymore, players getting the opportunity to make a name for themselves takes precedence.
"As the tournament goes on, you kind of sense whether you have a shot at qualifying or not. It's not about whether you're playing; it's just about spending another couple of weeks away from family. For me personally, the result of the game didn't matter that much, but I still got pulled into personal performances."
"As a player, you appreciate it when guys do well. Rinku Singh smacks five sixes - you can't not appreciate that. It's just that the result doesn't have much emphasis anymore. You don't sit there nervous about whether you're going to win. And you start investing in the guys' personal performances instead."
The Knight Riders made a decent start to their IPL 2024 campaign, beating the SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) in a thrilling clash at the Eden Gardens. They will next face the Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the Chinnaswamy Stadium on Friday, March 29.