After the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) failed to qualify for the IPL 2022 playoffs, Brendon McCullum's coaching tenure with the team came to an end. He will next take over as England's men's team coach.
KKR were able to reach the finals of the 2021 season under his coaching, despite a poor first half. Following a Covid-19 outbreak in India last year, the tournament was relocated to the United Arab Emirates, where KKR went on a winning streak to qualify for the finals before losing to Chennai Super Kings (CSK) by 27 runs.
The 40-year-old took over as coach of the Knight Riders in 2019. They were placed fifth on the points table for two years in a row before making the final in 2021. The Shreyas Iyer-led side managed to win just 6 out of 14 games in 2022.
The runners-up of the last season put out a video on their official Twitter handle in which several players paid a heartwarming tribute to their outgoing coach.
"It started a while when I just started at KKR as a player and I played under him as a captain and as coach. He is a wonderful human being, he looks out for his players and always seeks their interest," Sunil Narine said in the video
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On April 18, 2008, the former cricketer-turned-coach scored an unbeaten 158 for Kolkata Knight Riders against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the inaugural IPL match. For another 5 years, this was the highest individual score in the league’s history before Chris Gayle broke it.
West Indian superstar Andre Russell described the head coach as someone who keeps his cool under pressure.
"Even when we are under pressure, he always seem to be cool. He is the type of coach who allowed me to play the way I play and to be free. Whenever I talk to him, I hear freedom," he said in the video.
Skipper Shreyas Iyer said that he had never seen someone as “calm and composed” as the New Zealander.
"He is someone who gives you a lot of liberty and freedom as a player and an individual to express yourself on the field. I have not seen any coach being so calm and composed sitting in the dressing room and dugout during the matches. There is a lot to learn from him."
Brendon McCullum has taken over as the coach of England’s men’s team at a challenging time. Under his coaching, the English side will take on New Zealand at home next month.
"I think last 12-18 months have been trying time. Looks like there's an appetite for change and an appetite to try. Just recalibrate things and reengage the talent which sits among the English players. The challenge enthused me and Stokesy (Ben Stokes) in the chair of skipper. I think his personality should align as well," McCullum told ecb.co.uk.
In his final press conference as the Kolkata Knight Riders' coach, the former New Zealand captain exhorted the team to invest in Rinku Singh, who played a sensational 15-ball 40 and almost won the team a thrilling encounter against the Lucknow Super Giants.
"Rinku’s is an incredible story, a man around the IPL for five years. He sat on the sidelines for so long and worked so hard, he has had to wait for his opportunity, he got it late in the tournament and he’s taken it,” McCullum said in the post-match press conference. He plays the game for all the right reasons that I love as a coach and as a fan of cricket as well. Rinku is a player who KKR will invest in, no doubt, over the next few years and we’ll see him progressing. Not too many people can bat like Rinku did and be able to pull games out of the fire. Really pleased for him."
(INDIA TODAY INPUTS)
