MUMBAI: The Kolkata Knight Riders have parted ways with their head coach Chandrakant Pandit and bowling coach Bharat Arun, TOI has reliably learnt. Arun was also the bowling coach of the India team from 2014-2021, barring a year when Anil Kumble was the head coach of Team India. According to a source, Arun has been appointed as the bowling coach of the Chennai Super Kings. A top CSK official, though, denied this development.TOI tried to contact KKR CEO Venky Mysore, Pandit and Arun several times, but there was no response from all three.Confirming the development in a post on ‘X’, KKR stated: “Pandit has decided to explore new opportunities and will not continue as the head coach of Kolkata Knight Riders. We are thankful for his invaluable contributions-including leading KKR to the IPL Championship in 2024 and helping build a strong, resilient squad. His leadership and discipline have left a lasting impact on the team. We wish him all the best for the future.”A seasoned domestic coach, Pandit had a three-year tenure with Shah Rukh Khan owned franchise. After taking over the reins of the team in 2023, Pandit, rated as the best and most experienced coach in domestic cricket, guided KKR to their third Indian Premier League title in 2024. However, captained by Ajinkya Rahane, KKR finished eighth in IPL-2025, winning just five of their 14 matches and losing seven.
During Pandit’s three-year stint with KKR, the franchise produced a few India players like Rinku Singh and Harshit Rana, even as mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy made a successful comeback to international cricket last year.Pandit is currently the Madhya Pradesh head coach.Meanwhile, during IPL-2025, KKR has reappointed former India assistant coach Abhishek Nayar as their assistant coach. Nayar, who was recently named as the UP Warriorz head coach in the Women’s Premier League, is set to continue in that role.
