Reports | Kolkata Knight Riders appoint Trevor Bayliss as Head Coach

Indian Premier League franchise Kolkata Knight Riders have landed the star-studded duo of Trevor Bayliss and Brendon McCullum in coaching positions, according to reports by the Times of India. While Bayliss is set to take over as the head coach, McCullum will be the mentor and the batting coach for the team. KKR famously won the IPL twice under Bayliss between 2011 to 2014 while McCullum was a former player for the Kolkata based franchise. 

Bayliss is set to join the KKR camp post the conclusion of the 2019 Ashes. Bayliss possesses a strong CV, having led Sri Lanka to the 2011 World Cup Final, KKR to two IPL titles and England to their maiden World Cup trophy.  On the other hand, McCullum kickstarted his IPL career with the Knight Riders, where he famously blasted 158* in the first-ever IPL match. 

The news is coming on the back of a rather disappointing campaign for KKR, finishing fifth and failing to qualify for the playoffs under the leadership of wicket-keeper batsman Dinesh Karthik. The duo is set to be a part of a major revamp within the KKR camp. It is also believed that owner Shah Rukh Khan has taken personal interest in taking major decisions, and wants to follow the Mumbai Indians template of running the management. 

“From setting up a sturdy coaching unit to creating an efficient ecosystem within their own perimeters, giving the coaching unit and leading cricketers longer, continuing stints, Mumbai Indians have yielded great results for themselves. It’s a template that certainly interests the management at Knights right now. There will be a change on multiple fronts,” sources close to KKR were quoted as saying by Times of India.

“Youngsters tend to bring in fresh energy. Akash’s presence in the Mumbai Indians set-up has led to some very exciting things happening there. It’s the way forward and time for new ideas to seep in,” the sources added.