The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are one of three IPL teams to have won multiple titles. They tasted glory for the first time in 2012 and won their second title two years later. Despite an impressive start to their IPL campaign with a historic win over RCB, the team failed to replicate this success, coming sixth in the points table.
Even after their careers ended, these players continued to impact the game in other roles. Here are three players from that team who have become coaches since then.
1. Ricky Ponting
Ponting was signed by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the inaugural Indian Premier League (IPL) auction for a surprisingly low $400,000. His stay with KKR lasted only one season before moving to the Mumbai Indians (MI) in 2013. Under his brief captaincy stint at MI, they went on to win the IPL title. He later joined the Delhi Capitals (DC) as a coach and, in 2020, guided them to the IPL finals for the first time. Ponting is still part of the DC coaching staff as they aim for their first IPL title.
2. Brendon McCullum
Former New Zealand cricketing great Brendon McCullum was an instant sensation in the IPL when he scored an unbeaten 158 on the opening day. He was a significant attraction for KKR, pivotal in taking them to the 2021 IPL finals and eventually leaving after the 2022 IPL season finished with a seventh-place finish. This led ECB to appoint him head coach of their Test team, much to the surprise of many. Under McCullum’s aggressive coaching style, the English cricket team has already gained a lot of admiration and success. It has also brought about a massive shift in the team with captain Ben Stokes, who has struck a strong bond with McCullum.
3. Sourav Ganguly
The iconic Prince of Kolkata, Sourav Ganguly, once represented KKR in their formative years of the Indian Premier League. He was their captain for the inaugural season before being replaced by Brendon McCullum in 2009. In his final year in the IPL, 2012, Ganguly retired from the sport and took up an advisory role with the Delhi Capitals (DC) in 2019. Although his time with DC was cut short due to his appointment as the President of BCCI, he is now back with the franchise as their Director of Cricket, with no conflicts of interest standing in his way.
