IPL: Sunil Gavaskar explains why Chandrakant Pandit should be given a chance as KKR head coach
Kolkata Knight Riders has appointed Chandrakant Pandit as its new head coach. Meanwhile, Sunil Gavaskar lauded the move, urging all to give him his share of chance and not pull him down.
FollowA couple of days back, former two-time Indian Premier League (IPL) champion Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) appointed Chandrakant Pandit as the franchise's new head coach. He has replaced Brendon McCullum of New Zealand, who vacated the post after IPL 2022 following his appointment as the head of England's Test side. While the list of Indian head coaches in the IPL is minimal, Pandit finds himself lucky to have joined the elite ranks. In the meantime, legendary former Indian skipper Sunil Gavaskar was delighted by the move from KKR and urged all to give him a fair chance and not pull him down right after the first failure.
In his Mid-day column, Gavaskar documented, "Pandit has a terrific record where he has taken unfancied teams to the Ranji title. Whether he can replicate that with KKR remains to be seen. Still, the move to appoint him as the coach needs to be lauded as it finally recognises that Indian coaches will know more about Indian players than the overseas coaches, who won't have an idea of many a young Indian talent."
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"Even as Pandit's appointment was being hailed around the country, it was disappointing to hear some doubt his coaching style. Where did these people experience his coaching style if they haven't been in the same team and change room that Pandit coached? Just going by hearsay is palpably unfair to someone who has achieved so much," added Gavaskar.
Gavaskar referenced India's independence, stating that an Indian should never pull another Indian down, leading to overseas rulers. "Pandit may well end up with his team at the bottom. Then, surely you can question his capability. But, now, as fellow Indians, let us give him a fair chance and not pull him down even before the first ball of next year's IPL is bowled," he concluded.
