In the initial years of the Indian Premier League, the Kolkata Knight Riders enjoyed considerable success, securing titles in 2012 and 2014. However, their performance has waned since then, with a notable exception in the 2021 final, where they were runners-up to the Chennai Super Kings.
This season, the franchise, based at Eden Gardens, believes it has assembled a competitive squad capable of vying for the championship. Captain Shreyas Iyer, aiming to recover from a back injury for the latter part of the competition, leads the team, which features talents such as Umesh Yadav, Tim Southee, Lockie Ferguson, and the dynamic West Indies duo Andre Russell and Sunil Narine.
An additional noteworthy change comes in the coaching dugout, signifying a significant shift for the team.
Chandrakant Pandit assumed the role of the head coach for the Kolkata Knight Riders, succeeding Brendon McCullum, who transitioned to the position of England’s Test coach in May 2022. McCullum, alongside captain Ben Stokes, implemented his ‘Bazball’ style, leading England to remarkable success with 10 wins in 12 Tests under his stewardship. Notably, one of the defeats came by a narrow margin of just a single run.
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Notably, there are rumours that a mysterious former player had approached Gautam Gambhir for the role of KKR coach in IPL 2024. However, nothing is confirmed about this rumour.