[Watch] "The Dronacharya of Indian domestic cricket is here!" - KKR welcome new head coach Chandrakant Pandit
Chandrakant Pandit is set to serve as the head coach of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League (IPL). He visited the franchise's office on Tuesday (August 30) to sign the contract.
The Kolkata-based side shared a video on Instagram to give fans a glimpse of Chandrakant Pandit's visit. The veteran coach was also presented with the team jersey by KKR CEO Venky Mysore.
Kolkata Knight Riders captioned the post:
"The Dronacharya of Indian domestic cricket is here! 😍 🎥 Stay tuned to watch a day out with our new head coach - Chandrakant Pandit 💜."
Pandit has replaced former New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum, who parted ways with KKR after this year's cash-rich league to serve as the head coach of England's Test team.
Pandit has a fantastic record as a coach in domestic cricket. The former cricketer has guided teams like Madhya Pradesh, Mumbai, and Vidarbha to championship triumphs in the Ranji Trophy.
KKR failed to qualify for the playoffs in IPL 2022
The Shreyas Iyer-led side had a forgettable season this year, finishing seventh in the 10-team tournament. The side managed just six victories from their 14 league matches and failed to make the cut for the all-important playoffs.
The two-time champions will be hoping to come up with an improved performance in the next edition under the guidance of their new head coach. Pandit has worked closely with skipper Iyer and assistant coach Abhishek Nayar in the past and shares a great rapport with the two.
We have a new HEAD COACH!
🏻
🚨 We have a new HEAD COACH!
Welcome to the Knight Riders Family, Chandrakant Pandit 💜👏🏻 https://t.co/Eofkz1zk6a
Iyer, on several occasions, has mentioned that Pandit has played a major role in his development as a batter. The right-handed batter finished as the leading run-scorer in the Ranji Trophy 2015-16 season with 1321 runs from 11 matches when Pandit was the head coach of the Mumbai team.