Defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders announced former West Indies all-rounder Dwayne Bravo as their mentor for the Indian Premier League 2025 season. The legendary fast bowler will replace Gautam Gambhir, who left the mentor's role to take up the job of Indian national team's head coach.
Dwayne Bravo will therefore end his association with Chennai Super Kings. Bravo was the bowling coach of the Super Kings in IPL 2024. Bravo's appointment comes hours after the all-rounder announced his retirement from all forms of cricket on Friday, September 27. Bravo, the highest wicket-taker in T20 history with 631 wickets in 582 matches, confirmed his decision following a groin injury that cut short his Caribbean Premier League (CPL) 2024 season.
KKR CEO Venky Mysore confirmed that Bravo will be working with all other franchises of the Knight Riders in the Caribbean Premier League, Major League Cricket in the United States and ILT20 in the UAE.
"DJ Bravo joining us is a very exciting development. His deep desire to win wherever he plays, his extensive experience and knowledge will benefit the franchise and all players immensely. We are also very pleased that he will be involved with all our other franchises around the world - CPL, MLC & ILT20," Mysore said in a statement.
Despite having played only for Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings in the IPL, the four-time IPL winner has a long association with the Knight Riders, having played the majority of his CPL career with the Trinbago Knight Riders.
Bravo worked as the Super Kings' bowling coach in 2022 and 2023.
Bravo worked as the Super Kings' bowling coach in 2022 and 2023.
Bravo had retired from international cricket in 2021 but continued to participate in franchise cricket and took on coaching roles. Most recently, he worked with his IPL side Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and was named Afghanistan's bowling consultant for the 2024 T20 World Cup in the West Indies and the USA.
During his storied career, Bravo became synonymous with T20 cricket, thanks to his ability to deliver under pressure, particularly with his slower balls and death-over bowling. He led Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) to back-to-back CPL titles in 2017 and 2018 and guided St Kitts & Nevis Patriots to their maiden CPL title in 2021.
Source: India Today