"Guys were frustrated" - David Wiese exposes reality of KKR dressing room under Chandrakant Pandit

Former Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) player David Wiese revealed about the things that happened inside the franchise’s dressing room during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023. He said that some things by head coach Chandrakant Pandit didn’t go well with many players and issues were going as well. 

Kolkata Knight Riders had a torrid run in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 as they couldn’t get going at all in the tournament. The team, who was without the absence of regular skipper Shreyas Iyer, won just six games from 14 fixtures and finished seventh in the points table under the leadership of Nitish Rana. 

This was for the second consecutive time that KKR failed to qualify for the playoffs. Head coach Chandrakant Pandit, who has been extremely successful in domestic cricket, was expected to do something similar for the franchise but couldn’t as he too came under the scanner. 

Chandrakant Pandit was criticized by many for his old-fashioned approach. There were some reports which claimed that some players were unhappy with the way he handled the players. Now a year later, David Wiese has revealed some shocking things about the domestic veteran. 

David Wiese revealed that behind the scenes during the last season, there were a lot of issues going on in the KKR during IPL 2023. He said that the dressing room seemed tough for some players as Chandrakant Pandit’s coaching style didn’t go well with them. Speaking  on the Hitman for Hire: A Year in the Life of a Franchise Cricketer podcast hosted by Sam Keir, he said: 

“Certain issues were 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. A new coach was coming in and he liked to do things a certain way, and that didn’t sit well with the players.” 

David Wiese played three matches for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the Indian Premier League 2023. The all-rounder scored 21 runs at a strike rate of 190.91. With the ball, he couldn’t contribute as he failed to take a single wicket. 

Overseas players don’t need someone coming in and telling him how to behave – David Wiese on Chandrakant Pandit 

Further launching attack on Chandrakant Pandit, David Wiese revealed that players were frustrated as the methods that the coach brought didn’t sit well. He while admitting that Pandit is strict stated that overseas players don’t need someone to tell them how to behave. He added: 

“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.” 

In the ongoing edition of the IPL, Kolkata Knight Riders have started well. They defeated Sunrisers Hyderabad in their first game. The Shreyas Iyer-led side will now be seen in action when they take on Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at the Chinnaswamy Stadium on Friday, March 29.