Kolkata: Former West Indies all-rounder Dwayne Bravo was named mentor of the Indian Premier League defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on Friday.
He succeeds Gautam Gambhir, who stepped down in July to take up the role of head coach for the Indian men’s cricket team.
The announcement from KKR followed shortly after Bravo declared his retirement from all forms of cricket in a social media post.
“Today marks the day I bid farewell to the sport that has given me everything. Since the age of five, it was clear this was my calling—this was the sport I was meant to play. My interest lay nowhere else, and I devoted my life to it. In exchange, it granted me the life I envisioned for myself and my family. For this, I am eternally grateful,” Bravo stated in an Instagram post.
Despite an injury shortening his final Caribbean Premier League season, Bravo still holds the record as the top wicket-taker in T20s, with 631 wickets from 582 matches.
Venky Mysore, CEO of the Knight Riders Group, expressed his enthusiasm about Bravo’s appointment: “DJ Bravo’s addition to our team is a thrilling development. His unwavering commitment to victory, coupled with his extensive experience and profound understanding, will be invaluable to our franchise and players. We are delighted that Bravo will also contribute to our other global franchises, including the CPL, MLC, and ILT20.”
Bravo shared his excitement about embarking on this new journey. “For the past decade, I’ve been with the Trinbago Knight Riders in the CPL. Having competed with and against the Knight Riders in various leagues, I hold great admiration for their operations. The owners’ zeal, the management’s professionalism, and the familial atmosphere they foster are truly unique. It’s the ideal stage for me as I shift from playing to guiding and coaching the upcoming generation of cricketers,” he said.
The 40-year-old initially retired from international cricket in 2018 before deciding to come out of retirement.
