The IPL 2024 season is off to an electrifying start, with thrilling matches captivating fans and intriguing stories emerging from behind the scenes. One such narrative revolves around Narayan Jagadeesan, a former player for the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), who recently shed light on an incident involving KKR’s head coach, Chandrakant Pandit.
Chandrakant Pandit, renowned for his no-nonsense demeanour and strict coaching style, has been a fixture in KKR’s support staff since the previous season. His methods and approach to coaching have often sparked conversations among cricket enthusiasts.
During a recent IPL 2024 match between KKR and Delhi Capitals (DC) in Visakhapatnam, Narayan Jagadeesan shared a captivating anecdote about Pandit’s reaction to a wardrobe mishap involving Varun Chakravarthy from the previous season.
WATCH – Harpreet Brar Surprises Fans With Impromptu Singing Performance
“Last year in the KKR camp, Chandrakant Pandit declared it as sleeveless day, and on that particular day, Varun (Chakravarty) accidentally wore a full-sleeved shirt. Chandrakant Pandit took him aside and promptly transformed the shirt into a sleeveless one with scissors,” revealed Narayan Jagadeesan during Tamil Commentary with Star Sports.
This revelation adds to the perception of Pandit as a coach with exacting standards, as previously highlighted by former KKR all-rounder David Wiese. Wiese described Pandit’s coaching style as “very strict” and “disciplinarian,” noting that some overseas players found it challenging to adhere to his directives regarding behaviour and attire.
“He (Pandit) is known in India as a very militant type of coach. He is very strict, very disciplinarian, and 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,” explained David Wiese on the podcast ‘Hitman for Hire: A Year in the Life of a Franchise Cricketer.’
ALSO READ: Michael Clarke Applauds Rishabh Pant’s Resilience, Expects To Play For India
In the match against Delhi Capitals, KKR displayed their batting prowess by posting a formidable total of 272/7 after choosing to bat first. Sunil Narine’s explosive 85 off 39 balls set the tone, supported by significant contributions from Angkrish Raghuvanshi (54), Andre Russell (41), and Rinku Singh (26).
Their bowlers then maintained relentless pressure on the hosts, restricting them to 166 runs and securing a commanding victory by 106 runs. With three consecutive wins, KKR currently leads the IPL 2024 table, setting a strong early-season precedent.
