Chandrakant Pandit appointed Kolkata Knight Riders head coach

He is the first Indian to hold that position for the two-time IPL champion

Ranji Trophy-winning coach Chandrakant Pandit will be the new head coach of Kolkata Knight Riders, the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise announced on Wednesday.

The 60-year-old Pandit, a former India wicketkeeper-batter, is the first Indian to become the head coach of the team.

Accepting the new role, Pandit said, “It’s a great honour and privilege to be given this responsibility. I have heard from players and others who have been associated with the Knight Riders, about the family culture, as well as the tradition of success that has been created. I am excited about the quality of the support staff and the players who are part of the set-up and am looking forward to this opportunity with all humility and positive expectations.”

Welcoming Pandit — who recently guided Madhya Pradesh to its maiden Ranji Trophy title — KKR CEO Venky Mysore said, “We are very excited that Chandu is joining the Knight Riders family to lead us through the next phase of our journey.

“His deep commitment to what he does and his track record of success in domestic cricket is there for everyone to see. We are looking forward to his partnership with our skipper Shreyas Iyer, which promises to be an exciting one.”