By Robert 
The 2025 IPL season has not gone according to plan for defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). With just three wins from nine matches, the Ajinkya Rahane-led side finds itself languishing at seventh place on the points table. Adding to their on-field struggles, internal issues have also begun to surface.
According to a report by Revsportz, turmoil is brewing within the KKR camp, with head coach Chandrakant Pandit coming under mounting pressure. While a mid-season sacking is considered unlikely, discussions are already underway regarding potential replacements.
Trouble Brewing for Chandrakant Pandit
Abhishek Nayar, currently serving as a mentor for KKR, has emerged as a strong candidate for an expanded role. Nayar was part of the support staff that guided KKR to their title win in IPL 2024 but had briefly left to join the Indian national team as an assistant coach. After being dismissed from that role, he returned to KKR as a mentor and is now being considered for the head coach position.
Another name reportedly in contention is Eoin Morgan, the former England World Cup-winning captain and ex-KKR skipper. Morgan previously led Kolkata to the IPL final and maintains strong ties with the franchise’s management, making him a popular candidate for the top job.
Friction With Overseas Star Adds to KKR’s Woes
Adding to the growing tension, Revsportz reports that an unnamed overseas player was left unhappy after a confrontation with Pandit. The report claims that the player was questioned by the coach for going out to dinner with a player from a rival IPL team — despite the two being teammates at the international level. This incident has only fueled speculation about rising dissatisfaction within the squad.
With both Abhishek Nayar and Eoin Morgan now in the conversation as possible successors, KKR’s leadership could see significant changes ahead if results do not improve soon.