IPL 2024: David Wiese Slams KKR's Head Coach Chandrakant Pandit For 'Militant Type' Control

Former KKR overseas player David Wiese criticized the team's head coach, Chandrakant Pandit, for his coaching during the 2023 season. Kolkata Knight Riders endured a tough 2023 season in the Indian Premier League. The side kicked off their campaign under makeshift captain Nitish Rana after Shreyas Iyer was ruled out with a back injury. At the same time, there were a number of key performances, with the standout player being Rinku Singh. However, KKR couldn't qualify for the playoffs, finishing seventh on the table. David Wiese was one of Namibia's key players in the preceding T20 World Cup and was acquired ahead of the 2023 season as an all-rounder. Wiese played in three matches for the side but has now opened up about the dressing room atmosphere in the KKR camp under Chandrakant Pandit, who replaced Brendon McCullum to kickstart a new head coach stint with the franchise. Gautam Gambhir returned to KKR as the side's mentor.

David Wiese slams KKR's Head Coach Chandrakant Pandit for 'Militant Type' control

Speaking on the Hitman for Hire: A Year in the Life of a Franchise Cricketer podcast, David Wiese said there were "issues" in the dressing room throughout the campaign. Coach Chandrakant Pandit is known as a hard taskmaster in the domestic circuit but certainly has the credentials. He joined KKR shortly after a successful Ranji campaign with Madhya Pradesh, coaching the side to its maiden domestic title.

"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," David Wiese said.

Wiese revealed that Chandrakant Pandit is a "militant" type of coach who asserts authority over team members regardless of their nationality, dictating not only their behaviour but also "what to wear and what to do."

"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," Wiese added.

Pandit was retained as head coach after the season but was joined by Gautam Gambhir, former KKR captain and the side's two-time IPL winner, ahead of the 2024 edition. The Knight Riders made a positive start to their IPL 2024 campaign last week, beating Sunrisers Hyderabad by 4 runs in a closely fought match in Kolkata. The side will now travel to Bengaluru for its second match of the season against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru, who also returned to winning ways on Monday with a dramatic victory over Punjab Kings.