Philip Salt Praises KKR Coach Chandrakant Pandit Despite IPL 2024 Challenges

England cricketer Philip Salt shared his positive experience playing under Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) head coach Chandrakant Pandit during IPL 2024. Despite reports of foreign players being frustrated with Pandit’s coaching style, Salt praised Pandit’s ability to read situations and maintain good relationships.

Salt said, “That’s not my personal experience. I can say that you know we got on from day one. No, he’s a man that reads a room very well. He knows when to have an arm around you, knows when to pull your tail a bit. I think that’s now a trait that all good coaches have. You know, I’ve got a great relationship with him and still swap texts with him. You know, he watches a lot of cricket. He’s always in touch, so a great man.”

Salt scored 435 runs in 12 matches, averaging 39.55 with a strike rate of 182.01, becoming a reliable figure for KKR. However, he was recalled by England for their series against Pakistan before the World Cup, leaving him disappointed for not finishing the season. Salt expressed, “I think if you put any work into a competition, especially the IPL. You want to play every game that’s what’s in you as a professional sportsman. I want to play the big games. I want to play all the high-pressure games and be in the high-pressure moments. That’s what it’s all about, you know. Obviously, I was disappointed to come so far and leave India feeling like I still had a job to do. But the boys picked up beautifully from where we left off and became deserving IPL champions.”

Despite missing out on Salt’s services, KKR went on to lift the IPL title by defeating Sunrisers Hyderabad in the final.