Chandrakant Pandit the distinguished head coach of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) has robustly endorsed Shreyas Iyer as a deserving candidate to steer the Indian national cricket team in the foreseeable future. This affirmation follows Shreyas orchestrating a remarkable victory for the Knight Riders securing their third coveted Indian Premier League (IPL) title by convincingly outplaying SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) with a resounding eightwicket triumph at Chepauk on the eventful Sunday of May 25.
Notably, Shreyas Iyer had a rough time before joining the KKR team at Eden Gardens for the 2024 season. He was dealing with injuries and was dropped off the BCCI’s central contract list. However, he flourished under duress and led Kolkata remarkably well throughout the season.
The 29-year-old maintained a cool mindset and was precise with his field placement and bowling adjustments. He led the Knight Riders to nine victories in 14 league games, with two matches abandoned due to poor weather. Shreyas Iyer was merciless during the playoffs, winning handily in Qualifier 1 and the final to claim the prize.
Chandrakant Pandit couldnt help but express his admiration for Shreyas Iyers remarkable leadership acumen confidently asserting that he represents the perfect choice to guide India in the times ahead. During his interview with the Times of India Pandit warmly shared:
“I would give a lot of credit to Shreyas. He’s been a fantastic captain, very calm and cool. He was receptive to our suggestions and handled the team well on and off the field. With KKR, he showed the qualities which make him worthy of India captaincy in the future.”
Chandrakant Pandit
Aside from Pandit, a number of other former cricketers have supported Shreyas Iyer to lead the Men in Blue in the future.
“He now seems to be a more matured, sensible batsman” – Chandrakant Pandit on Shreyas Iyer
The KKR head coach, who has watched Shreyas Iyer up close, feels the setback has helped the batsman become a more’mature’ and’sensible’ hitter.
“Any player would be disappointed with that (Iyer’s BCCI contract snub). However, that should not affect his performance. Whenever we would discuss anything, we would never touch upon that point. We were clear that the task at hand was more important,” Pandit said.“I remember that he told me: ‘ Sir, I’ll prove it.’ The way he has batted in this IPL, he now seems to be a more matured, sensible batsman.”
Chandrakant Pandit
Iyer didn’t have a fantastic season with the bat in IPL 2024, but he made contributions when his side needed them. The right-hander scored 351 runs in 14 matches, with an average of 39 and a strike rate of over 145. In Qualifier 1 against the SunRisers Hyderabad, he scored a half-century to win.