Chandrakant Pandit Gets Andre Russell’s Backing After Former Player Terms KKR Head Coach ‘Militant’

Bengaluru: Kolkata Knight Riders head coach Chandrakant Pandit got the backing of Andre Russel after the domestic coaching stalwart was termed as ‘militant’ by former KKR all-rounder David Wiese. The South African Weise, who now plays for Namibia, was a part of KKR in IPL 2023 but played only a few games. Wiese claimed that several foreign players at KKR were frustrated by Pandit’s tough style of functioning the previous year.

However, Jamaican Russell, an integral part of KKR’s core group since 2014, 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 ahead of the crucial encounter against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on Thursday. “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.

“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,” Wiese said at Hitman for Hire: A year in the life of a franchise cricketer podcast.

“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,” added Wiese, who had earlier played for RCB in 2015 in IPL.

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.