NEW DELHI: Kolkata Knight Riders head coach Chandrakant Pandit responded to criticisms of the Eden Gardens pitch and took responsibility for the team's failure to capitalise on their home advantage in the IPL this season. Pandit addressed Nitish Rana's previous comments and clarified the team's perspective, stating, "I think you people have misunderstood it. Home advantage means when we play at home, we would like to win."
Pandit dismissed the notion of blaming the pitches, saying, "It's not a question of pitches or anything else. I'm talking about winning the game, and it's unfortunate that in spite of having home advantage, we have not been able to win many games that we played here."
He acknowledged the changing nature of pitches across stadiums, including the Eden Gardens, and the challenge it presents. Pandit remarked, "The pitches have changed dramatically over a period of time everywhere... Nobody can guarantee how they will behave in a particular game. Many teams have not been able to take the home advantage in this tournament."
Pandit also discussed the performance of all-rounder Shardul Thakur, noting the lack of clarity regarding his role and praising his contributions when given the chance. He said, "We were not clear on Shardul's roles. He has performed well whenever he (has) got a chance... The role has been decided for every player and they are very much aware of their roles."
Despite KKR's challenging campaign, Pandit expressed confidence in the team's unity and their potential to win matches. He stated, "I'm very confident about my team and they are playing as a good unit; it's unfortunate that we were not able to produce those expected results to get straightaway into the playoffs and win the trophy."
Pandit concluded by highlighting the team's positive dynamics and their determination to secure victory in their upcoming match, saying, "I'm happy that the team is gelling, looking good as a unit. We hope to win tomorrow's game as well."
(With inputs from PTI)
