KKR head coach Chandrakant Pandit is hoping that the team's regular skipper Shreyas Iyer recovers from his back injury during the upcoming IPL season. For now, there is no certainty around Iyer's comeback and it is being reported that the chances of the same are pretty slim. Meanwhile, KKR also announced recently that Nitish Rana will be leading the side in Shreyas's absence.
Speaking of the same, the newly appointed head coach Chandrakant Pandit admitted that the captain will surely be missed as Shreyas Iyer is an important player for the side. "Whatever little cricket I have played or coached, I have never gone back over things like squad 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," he said.
However, Pandit expressed confidence in Nitish Rana stating that he 'ticks all the boxes' and he is comfortable with him at the helm of the side. "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 to be ticked' and it has come down to that. I am comfortable knowing he can handle the role. We don't see whether someone is deserving or not. Every player has different skills, and after thinking about what Nitish brings to the table, we are confident with the decision," Pandit added.
At the same time, this is the first time Chandrakant Pandit is coaching an IPL team after experiencing massive success over the years in domestic cricket. Having said that, he is looking at the IPL 2023 season as a challenge and is pretty excited to embrace it. "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. I have already said that the players we have, many of them have been playing for their country and are experienced players. Ultimately, the game is not different, only the format is. As long as any team plays as a unit, it will make a difference," the KKR head coach further added.
