Xtra Time Web Desk: The comments made by former Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) all-rounder David Wiese regarding the coaching style of Chandrakant Pandit, termed as “militant,” have sparked discussions about the dynamics within the team during the IPL. Wiese, now playing for Namibia, suggested that several foreign players in the KKR squad were frustrated by Pandit’s strict approach during the previous IPL season.
However, Andre Russell, a key player for KKR, offered a contrasting viewpoint. He emphasized the importance of adapting to the coach’s philosophy, acknowledging the necessity of rules and professionalism. Russell expressed his commitment to the franchise and praised Pandit’s coaching, highlighting the positive results achieved under his guidance.
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However, Jamaican Russell, an integral part of KKR’s core group, sounded different. “We’ve been working with him from last year. I think when you’re working with a coach for the first time, you have to make sure that you adjust to their philosophy. There have to be rules. We are professionals. So, we don’t complain,” said Russell during the pre-match press meet ahead of the match against Royal Challengers Bangalore. “I try to do the best for this franchise. He’s been doing an amazing job, and we’ve gotten coming back as well,” he added.
Chandranant Pandit, who is known as a disciplinarian, had taken over as KKR coach ahead of IPL 2022 after Brendon McCullum accepted England’s head coach job.
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“He (Pandit) is known in India as a very militant type of coach. He is very strict, very disciplinarian that type of stuff. sometimes in franchise cricket, when you have overseas guys, who’ve played all over the world, they don’t need anyone coming and telling them how they need to behave, what they need to wear and what they need to do the whole time.
“So, that was tough,” said Wiese on the podcast ‘Hitman for Hire: A year in the life of a franchise cricketer’ recently.
Despite differing opinions on Pandit’s coaching style, Russell’s endorsement underscores the importance of professionalism and adaptation in achieving success within a team framework.