Chandrakant Pandit Exits KKR Months After IPL 2025 Debacle

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are heading into IPL 2026 with uncertainty hanging over their camp. Ahead of the new season, the franchise has experienced a major internal shake-up, which could impact its preparations and long-term plans. After a tough IPL 2025 Campaign, one of the key pillars of the franchise's support staff has decided to move on to follow on his call.

This decision comes as a big blow for the team, right after the team faced a major setback and was planning a loud return to action for the upcoming edition of the tournament. Ahead of the IPL 2026 season, the franchise has taken another hit as their head coach, Chandrakant Pandit, has decided to part ways with the team.

Chandrakant Pandit KKR Coaching Tenure Over

With just months to go before the new season, KKR has confirmed about Chandrakant Pandit resignation from the role of head coach. Sharing the news of the departure of Pandit, KKR took to its social media handles and announced the news of Pandit’s discontinuation with the franchise.

“Mr. Chandrakant Pandit has decided to explore new opportunities and will not continue as Head Coach of Kolkata Knight Riders,” the franchise said in a statement on Tuesday, July 29. "We wish you the best for your future endeavours, Chandu Sir," the statement further added.

While the official word is that Chandrakant Pandit chose to “explore new opportunities,” it’s clear that his departure is the result of poor performance in IPL 2025. Chandrakant Pandit KKR coaching tenure had its highs and lows. He led the team to an IPL title in 2024, but a poor 2025 season triggered changes.

According to some reports, his strict coaching approach caused issues with some overseas players. The former South African and Namibia allrounder David Wiese has already spoke against his strict disciplinarian way of dealing with things.

Who is Chandrakant Pandit?

Chandrakant Pandit is one of the most respected names in the domestic cricket circuit, who joined KKR as head coach ahead of the 2023 season. His appointment to Kolkata Knight Riders came after he guided Madhya Pradesh to a historic win in 2022. Before that, he had also led Vidarbha to back-to-back Ranji titles in 2018 and 2019.

Known for his strict result result-oriented coaching style, Pandit was signed to bring structure and discipline to the KKR camp. When he took over the role at KKR, expectations were high. The franchise had gone through multiple coaching changes and needed a strong leader to take the team in a consistent direction, and Pandit fit in perfectly for the paper. His track record made him a perfect candidate for the new role at KKR after the departure of Brendon McCullum.

His first season with KKR in 2023 didn’t go as planned. The team ended up seventh on the table, and the absence of their skipper, Shreyas Iyer, due to injury made things even more challenging. Still, Pandit held the group together and focused on laying a strong foundation.

In 2024, KKR bounced back under his leadership. With Shreyas Iyer returning to the side and franchise star Gautam Gambhir joining as mentor, the team looked solid and went on to win their third IPL title, ending a 10-year wait. They also recorded their best-ever points tally and net run rate in the history of the league. It was a proud moment for the franchise.

Who could be the New KKR coach for IPL 2026?

With a new Indian Premier League season just around the corner, KKR has some big decisions to make. Their squad already has the talent, and with the right leadership in place, they can bounce back from the IPL 2025 performance. But heading into IPL 2026 without a coach is going to be a task. A new KKR coach is likely to be announced in the upcoming months.

It would be interesting to know whether the franchise will go for another Indian coach or will look abroad for someone with a fresh perspective. Names like Abhishek Nayar, Eoin Morgan, their former captain, and Dwayne Bravo, who is the mentor of KKR, could take up new roles.

KKR’s IPL 2025 season was one to forget. The team entered the 18th edition with high hopes as defending champions, following a historic title win in 2024, failed to maintain consistency and ended up being eliminated before the knockouts of the season. Despite having a good mix of experienced players and young talent, the team couldn’t deliver on the expectations. As a result, they failed to qualify for the playoffs and ended up in 8th place, their joint-worst finish in IPL history.