“One who wakes up at 5 AM, the other who goes to sleep at 6 AM” - Harbhajan Singh's hilarious take on KKR coaching staff

Former Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh shared a lighthearted take on the contrasting personalities within the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) coaching staff ahead of IPL 2025. The defending champions had to restructure their support staff following the departures of Gautam Gambhir, Abhishek Nayar, and Ryan ten Doeschate after the IPL 2024 season.

KKR pulled off a major off-season move by bringing in Dwayne Bravo as a mentor from Chennai Super Kings (CSK). The former all-rounder has already found success as a coach, leading the Trinbago Knight Riders to multiple Caribbean Premier League titles and holding a coaching role with the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders in the International League T20 (ILT20).

However, his flamboyant and free-spirited lifestyle presents a sharp contrast to head coach Chandrakant Pandit's disciplined, no-nonsense approach. Chandrakant Pandit is known for his strict coaching methods in domestic cricket, making the dynamic between the two an interesting subplot for the upcoming season.

Harbhajan Singh humorously pointed out this contrast, saying, "They are two completely different personalities – one who wakes up at 5 AM, the other who goes to sleep at 6 AM. So, we'll have to see how they combine and work together as well," in an interview with ESPN Cricinfo.

Harbhajan Singh questions Kolkata Knight Riders' captaincy decision

Apart from changes in the coaching staff, Kolkata Knight Riders have also appointed a new captain. Veteran batter Ajinkya Rahane was chosen to lead the side over Venkatesh Iyer, a decision that has sparked debates.

While KKR managed to retain most of their batting score from last season, they lost key players like Shreyas Iyer and Nitish Rana. However, they successfully brought back Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Venkatesh Iyer, and Angkrish Raghuvanshi from the auction, while retaining Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, and Sunil Narine.

Ajinkya Rahane’s selection raises questions regarding his role in the batting order. His place in the playing XI is secured due to his captaincy, but his ideal position remains uncertain.

"Rahane is going to have to wrestle with what his role and position is in this batting lineup. KKR have a lot of power hitters down the order – Venkatesh Iyer, Rinku Singh, Andre Russell – so he cannot bat there. Rahane's best chance is at No.3, because the openers are fixed," Harbhajan Singh opined.

He further questioned whether Rahane was the right choice for captaincy, adding, "If KKR have picked Rahane only for captaincy, then I feel that job could have been done by someone else, like Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, or Venkatesh Iyer. If KKR lose an early wicket, then I can see a role for Rahane. But, if he has to bat after 12-13 overs, that is not his strength."

Kolkata Knight Riders will begin their title defense with a high-profile season opener against Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the Eden Gardens on Friday, March 22. The new leadership structure and revamped coaching staff will be under scrutiny as KKR looks to maintain their dominance in the upcoming season.

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