Mohammad Kaif appointed Gujarat Lions assistant coach

This season, 36-year-old Kaif led Chhattisgarh Ranji Trophy team in their maiden appearance in the National championship. The former UP cricketer has turned out in the IPL for Rajasthan Royals, Kings XI Punjab and Royal Challengers Bangalore, scoring a total of 259 in 29 games.

“I have played with top players like Shane Warne, Chris Gayle, AB de Villiers, Mahela Jayawardene and Virat Kohli and I am sure I will be able to help my team with my experience,” Kaif told the Times of India.

Lions owner Keshav Bansal expressed confidence that Kaif will make a difference.

“Kaif has played a key role in many Indian victories. He has captained a couple of domestic teams for long and also played in the IPL for different sides over the years. Our team will certainly benefit from his presence in the dressing room,” Bansal said.

“This year we are hoping to better our performance and Kaif 's role would be important. We had a goal when we came in as a team for two years. We would love to continue our association with BCCI. We will take a call when the time is right.”

Kaif has played 13 Tests and 125 ODIs.