IPL 2023: Hoping Shreyas will be back very soon, says KKR coach

Kolkata Knight Riders head coach Chandrakant Pandit is hoping that Shreyas Iyer will be back very soon and feels the right-hander can still play a part for the team in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023. The recurrence of back pain has kept Shreyas out of the tournament for the time being. He has been doing his rehab but there is very little clarity over the possibility of him returning at some stage. As a result, the two-time champion KKR has named Nitish Rana as their skipper for the upcoming season. “Whatever little cricket I have played or coached, I have never gone back over things like squad unavailability. Shreyas’s absence will make a difference since he is important, but this is truly unfortunate. We are hoping Shreyas will be back very soon and that will make a lot of difference to the team,” Pandit said in a press conference on Tuesday. “When we select players and give responsibility to players, we see who is capable. And Nitish is capable. He has been with KKR for a long time and also has a strong domestic record. Like they say, ‘all boxes to be ticked’ and it has come down to that. I am comfortable knowing he can handle the role. We don’t see whether someone is deserving or not. Every player has different skills, and after thinking about what Nitish brings to the table, we are confident with the decision,” he added. The 61-year-old Pandit has had a lot of success in the domestic circuit over the years. But, coaching an IPL franchise.will be taking a bigger step in his career. “Challenges are everywhere. This is also one, but it is a challenge of a different kind. After domestic cricket, to come here where there are experienced international-level players with different reputations is a different challenge. “I have already said that the players we have, many of them have been playing for their country and are experienced players. Ultimately, the game is not different, only the format is. As long as any team plays as a u