KKR skipper Nitish Rana visits Kalighat Temple in Kolkata ahead of IPL 2023, See pics

The Kolkata Knight Riders, two-time champions of the Indian Premier League, have announced Nitish Rana as their new skipper for the upcoming IPL 2023. Rana will replace the injured Shreyas Iyer as the leader of the team. 

In preparation for their opening match against the Punjab Kings, Rana visited the Kalighat Temple in Kolkata, accompanied by KKR head coach Chandrakant Pandit. The duo offered prayers and sought blessings at the Kali temple, as pictures of the visit circulated on social media.

pic.twitter.com/o9rViT5Yub

— KolkataKnightRiders (@KKRiders) March 28, 2023

Despite Iyer's absence, KKR head coach Pandit remains optimistic about his return to the squad for the upcoming edition. He stated, "Shreyas' 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." 

Pandit also expressed his confidence in Rana's ability to lead the team, saying, "When we select players and give responsibility to players, we see who is capable. And Nitish is capable."

The Kolkata-based franchise will begin their IPL 2023 campaign on April 1 at the Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali, facing off against the Punjab Kings.

READ| Will MS Dhoni retire after IPL 2023? MI skipper Rohit Sharma comes up with explosive answer