Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have parted ways with head coach Chandrakant Pandit just a couple of months after a disappointing Indian Premier League 2025 (IPL 2025) campaign. The franchise confirmed the development on Tuesday, saying Pandit has decided to "explore new opportunities."
Pandit, who took over in 2022, was at the helm when KKR lifted the IPL trophy in 2024. However, the team could not replicate that success in the following season as they managed only five wins in 14 matches and finished eighth on the points table.
Speculation around Pandit's future had been doing the rounds ever since the 2025 season ended. And now KKR has confirmed his exit.
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KKR Thank Chandrakant Pandit for His Contributions
In their announcement, KKR thanked Pandit for his time with the team and talked about his role in the 2024 title win.
Pandit is known for his strict approach to coaching. While it worked in 2024, things didn’t go as planned in IPL 2025.
Bharat Arun’s Future Uncertain, May Join CSK
As per The Times of India journalist Gaurav Gupta, bowling coach Bharat Arun could also be on his way out of the KKR setup. Arun, who was part of India’s coaching staff under Ravi Shastri, is said to be in talks with Chennai Super Kings (CSK).
If the move goes through, it would be a big addition to CSK’s coaching staff ahead of IPL 2026.
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