KKR head coach 2023 IPL: Chandrakant Pandit coaching career how many Ranji titles won

KKR head coach 2023 IPL: Kolkata Knight Riders have announced a new head coach for the 16th season of the Indian Premier League.

Kolkata Knight Riders have become the first team to make a significant change to their support staff following the culmination of the 15th season of the Indian Premier League.

IPL 2022 had witnessed KKR playing under a new captain in Shreyas Iyer with Brendon McCullum continuing in his role as a head coach. Having finished the season at the seventh position on the points table, it is needless to say that it wasn’t the best of seasons for Knight Riders. In fact, it was only for the third time when Kolkata had finished below the sixth position on the table.

With McCullum taking up a similar role with England’s Test team during IPL 2022 itself, KKR were always expected to name their sixth head coach.

KKR head coach 2023 IPL

Former India wicket-keeper batter Chandrakant Pandit, who has a stellar record as a head coach in the Indian domestic circuit, has replaced McCullum as Knight Riders’ head coach.

First Indian head coach at Kolkata, Pandit will carry forward a legacy created by John Buchanan, Dav Whatmore, Trevor Bayliss, Jacques Kallis and McCullum.

“It’s a great honor 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,” Pandit said in a statement.

At Knight Riders, Pandit will lead a support staff comprising of assistant coach Abhishek Nayar, bowling coach Bharat Arun, mentor David Hussey and others.

Chandrakant Pandit coaching career

Pandit, 60, is fresh on the back of coaching Madhya Pradesh to their maiden Ranji Trophy title a couple of months ago. Pandit, who has also won Ranji titles with Mumbai (2002-03, 2003-04 and 2015-16), Rajasthan (2012-13 as Director of Cricket) and Vidarbha (2017-18 and 2018-19), will now be looking to power KKR to their third IPL title (first since 2014).

In his six-year old international career between 1986-1992, Pandit had represented India in five Tests and 36 ODIs.