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"Ignore That Noise" KKR Coach Tells Players To Block MS Dhoni Talk Before CSK Clash

Jatin

Chandrakant Pandit and MS Dhoni [Source: @KKR_Xtra, @dollybiblio/x.com]Chandrakant Pandit and MS Dhoni [Source: @KKR_Xtra, @dollybiblio/x.com]

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain, MS Dhoni might be gearing up for one last hurrah at Eden Gardens but Kolkata Knight Riders head coach Chandrakant Pandit wants none of that emotion creeping into his dressing room. With CSK already knocked out of IPL 2025, all the focus is on Dhoni’s potential farewell in Kolkata but for KKR, this is crunch time and Pandit isn’t letting sentiment hijack their playoff push.

Chandrakant Pandit Tells KKR Squad To ‘Ignore The Dhoni Noise’ Ahead Of Must-Win Clash

Pandit made it crystal clear that his men aren’t here for a farewell party. They are here to win. With KKR stuck on 11 points from 11 games, there is no room left for error. Three games. Three wins. That is the only equation that matters.

“I think during these kinds of games, every player and every team is always focused on their own game,” Pandit said. “If a batter is batting and there is so much noise around, he’ll probably tell you, ‘I didn’t hear anything.’”

Chandrakant Pandit knows all about crowd pressure. He has seen it. Felt it. And now, he is teaching his players how to shut it out.

“It was the same case with me,” he recalled. “People used to say, ‘How do you focus with so much noise?’ But sometimes we just ignore it automatically.”

Pandit’s Belief Still Intact Despite KKR Players’ Form Woes

Sure, KKR’s season has been a mixed bag. Their batting lineup has fired in bursts but fizzled out when it mattered most. Still, Pandit isn’t reaching for the panic button just yet.

“Not really feeling the pressure,” he shrugged. “We always believe that we have the best batting lineup. It unfortunately didn’t click. Hope it will do justice in the next three games.”

He’s not second-guessing his players. Instead, he’s doubling down on backing them.

“We know the ability of every individual. We believe in them. You’ve got to give them confidence and make sure they believe in themselves.”

Pandit Wants KKR To Focus On What’s Working

While KKR haven’t been flawless, Pandit wants his players to feed off the positives from recent games.

“Always better to tell the boys what positives you’ve done. It helped you win. Carry that. The strength that you have, rather than thinking about the next three games,” he said.

And despite the uphill climb, Pandit believes KKR are peaking at just the right time.

“Looking at the last two games, yes of course. We’re confident we’ll qualify. That’s the beauty of this tournament. Ups and downs will be there in a two-month journey.”

So while the Eden Gardens crowd may come alive for what could be MS Dhoni’s last dance, KKR are tuning out the emotion. For Pandit and the KKR team, it is not about the sentiment, it is about survival.