South Africa and Australia legends in talks with Kolkata franchise to replace Gautam Gambhir as KKR mentor: Reports

Former South African all-rounder Jacques Kallis is reportedly being considered for the head coach position at the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. According to Sangbad Pratidin, the franchise is actively pursuing Kallis for the mentorship role ahead of the upcoming IPL 2025 mega auction.

Jacques Kallis to become KKR's new mentor?

Kallis has a strong association with the Kolkata Knight Riders, having played a crucial role in their title-winning campaign. He has previously been involved in the franchise's coaching setup, serving as the head coach in 2015 and as the batting consultant that same year. His appointment would be a significant boost to the team's coaching staff.

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KKR are also pursuing Ricky Ponting for mentorship role

In addition to Jacques Kallis, the Kolkata Knight Riders are reportedly considering Ricky Ponting for the coaching role. The former Australian captain was recently dismissed as the head coach of the Delhi Capitals following their disappointing performances in recent seasons. Ponting has expressed his interest in coaching another team in the Indian Premier League. During his tenure with Delhi Capitals, he guided the team to their first-ever final in 2020, although they ultimately lost to Mumbai Indians.

Ricky Ponting's coaching experience and potential impact on KKR

Ricky Ponting, regarded as one of the sharpest cricketing minds, recently clinched a coaching title in the Major League Cricket. His previous experience as the coach of the Australian national team further highlights his expertise in the field. The addition of Ponting to the Kolkata Knight Riders coaching staff would undoubtedly be a significant boost for the team in the upcoming season. The KKR are actively seeking coaches and mentors ahead of the IPL. Gautam Gambhir, who served as the team's mentor last year, has recently been appointed as the head coach of the Indian National Cricket Team. This followed the conclusion of Rahul Dravid's tenure after India's victory in the T20 World Cup 2024.

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The KKR have experienced a significant turnover in their coaching staff. In addition to Gautam Gambhir leaving to become the head coach of the Team India, assistant coach Abhishek Nayar and fielding coach Ryan ten Doeschate have also departed to join Gambhir's support staff. There were reports that the franchise had approached Kumar Sangakkara to take on the mentor role. However, Sangakkara, who is the director of cricket at Rajasthan Royals, has expressed interest in exploring other opportunities and is in advanced talks with the Kolkata Knight Riders. Despite this, he was retained by Rajasthan Royals in his current role. The KKR will need to fill these vacancies to complement the existing coaching staff, which includes Chandrakant Pandit as the head coach and Bharat Arun as the bowling coach. As the defending champions, the Kolkata Knight Riders will be aiming to maintain their dominance and secure their fourth IPL title.

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