Shreyas Iyer’s Exit from KKR a Mistake? Ex-Coach Drops BOMBSHELL on Controversial Decision

Former KKR head coach Chandrakant Pandit has finally commented on the controversial departure of title-winning captain Shreyas Iyer after the IPL 2024 season. Pandit expressed regret over the decision, attributing it to "big strategies" within the franchise, and also touched upon KKR's subsequent struggles under new captain Ajinkya Rahane.

Former Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) head coach Chandrakant Pandit finally broke his silence on the surprising and controversial departure of their former captain Shreyas Iyer after the team’s title-winning campaign in IPL 2024.

Shreyas Iyer led the Kolkata Knight Riders to their third IPL triumph in 2024, ending a 10-year drought of reclaiming the trophy, which they last won in 2014. Given his success as a captain, Iyer was expected to be retained by the franchise. Surprisingly, the KKR management decided to part ways with him, reportedly due to financial considerations and long-term squad restructuring.

The move by the franchise sparked an intense debate and criticism, as several questions were raised over the decision to release a title-winning captain, with critics questioning the logic behind moving on from a successful skipper despite his proven impact at the helm.

‘Unfortunately, We Missed Him’

Chandrakant Pandit worked with Shreyas Iyer during KKR’s successful 2024 campaign and acknowledged his influence on the team’s turnaround. Speaking to RevzSports, Pandit expresses regret over Iyer’s exit, praising his captaincy and title win, but says team strategy led to difficult decisions. He appreciates KKR owners and management support.

“Unfortunately, we missed him. Shreyas is a wonderful player who won the trophy for KKR as captain, and the way he has handled the team. But sometimes, certain circumstances force you to leave such players. Because there are big strategies,” the ex-KKR head coach said.

“Obviously, as a coach, when I was at KKR, I felt bad about that. Because it was not a purposeful thing, but it didn’t work for us. I mean, it’s not only Shreyas, but I think [Phil] Salt or other players when we talk about it. I would really want to appreciate the owners – Mr Shah Rukh Khan, Mr Jai Mehta, Juhi Chawla – and CEO Venky Mysore. They were all very supportive,” he added.

After being released by the KKR, Shreyas Iyer was picked by the Punjab Kings for INR 26.75 crore at the IPL 2025 mega auction, making him the second-most expensive player in the history of the tournament. With Shreyas’ departure, KKR appointed Ajinkya Rahane as a captain, but the team failed to defend the title, as they finished 8th in the league stage.

‘Things Aren’t Working at the Moment for KKR’

Under the captaincy of Ajinkya Rahane, KKR continues to struggle as they have won only one match in seven outings of the ongoing IPL season. Chandrakant Pandit noted that despite continuous efforts and multiple team combinations, KKR are still unable to find consistency, and results are simply not going their way.

“Things aren’t working for KKR at the moment. It’s not about a lack of effort. When a team scores 200 or 220 and still loses, as a coach, I wouldn’t blame anyone – you also have to appreciate that the opposition batted exceptionally well,” Pandit said.

“There have been a few setbacks too. Sunil Narine wasn’t fully fit, and Varun didn’t perform well and was also dealing with fitness issues. These kinds of factors create an imbalance in the team. From what I’ve seen, they are trying everything, but it’s just not clicking,” he added.

Chandrakant Pandit served as the head coach of KKR from 2022 to 2025 and stepped down from the coaching duties ahead of the IPL 2026 auction, with Abhishek Sharma, who was the franchise’s assistant coach, taking over the responsibilities for the ongoing IPL season.