Trevor Bayliss reportedly set to rejoin Kolkata Knight Riders as head coach

Bayliss has just guided England to its maiden World Cup triumph.

Bayliss, along with skipper Gautam Gambhir, had led KKR towards two IPL titles | Getty

IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) could bring in England's World Cup-winning coach Trevor Bayliss as head coach for a duration of time, starting with next year's edition of the cash-rich T20 league. 

KKR has already confirmed that Jacques Kallis and Simon Katich won't anymore be part of the team's backroom staff as head coach and assistant respectively. 

And It is understood, Bayliss might be joined at the task by former New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum, another ex KKR player, replacing Katich. McCullum, everyone remembers, played that legendary knock of 158 against Royal Challengers Bangalore wearing the KKR shirt all those years back to kickstart the inaugural IPL season with a bang in 2008.  

Bayliss, it must be mentioned here, led the KKR coaching set-up very successfully from 2011 until 2014 and oversaw twin title victories in two alternate seasons. Those remain the franchise's only IPL trophies till date. 

Bayliss was also associated with BBL club Sydney Sixers back then and famously coached Sri Lanka to the final of World Cup 2011 in India. 

These changes are important for KKR franchise as it is looking for a revamp following a disappointing campaign under the captaincy of Dinesh Karthik this year. The team went through a six-game losing streak during the middle of the league phase before finishing fifth in the eventual standings. 

"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," a source close to the matter was quoted as saying by TOI regarding KKR, a team co-owned by Bollywood star Shahrukh Khan. 

 
 

By Kashish Chadha - 17 Jul, 2019

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