Hope to see Shreyas back ‘very soon’: Pandit
KOLKATA: Kolkata Knight Riders head coach Chandrakant Pandit hopes to see regular skipper Shreyas Iyer return to action “very soon” and expects stand-in captain Nitish Rana to perform the high-pressure leadership role well until then.
Shreyas, who joined Kolkata last season, is likely to be out of at least the first half of Indian Premier League 2023 due to a recurring back injury. The middle-order batter had missed the
Kolkata Knight Riders skipper Nitish Rana and head coach Chandrakant Pandit
first and fourth Test matches against Australia due to persistent back issues.
“Whatever little cricket I have played or coached, I have never gone back over things like squad (player) unavailability. Shreyas’s absence will make a difference since he is important, but this is truly unfortunate. We are hoping Shreyas will be back very soon and that will make a lot of difference to the team,” Pandit said.
Pandit added that he is supremely confident of the leadership abilities of Rana, who has been with the franchise since 2018. “When we select players and give responsibility to players, we see who is capable. And Nitish is capable. He has been with KKR for a long time and also has a strong domestic record. Like they say, ‘all boxes need to be ticked’. It has come down to that,” said Pandit.
“I am comfortable knowing he can handle the role. We do not see whether someone is deserving or not. Every player has different skills. After thinking about what Nitish brings to the table, we are confident with the decision. This decision is not just my decision but of the whole staff, including our management.”
Having achieved remarkable success as a coach in domestic cricket, Pandit said that the IPL would be a different ball game.
“Challenges are everywhere. This is also one, but it is a challenge of a different kind. After domestic cricket, to come here, where there are experienced international-level players with different reputations, is a different challenge. As long as any team plays as a unit, it will make a difference. A united group of players always make a difference,” Pandit went on to add.
After thinking about what Nitish brings to the table, we are confident with the decision
Chandrakant Pandit on naming Nitish Rana as captain