October 9, 2024

Dwayne Bravo Leaves CSK; Replaces Gautam Gambhir As KKR’s Mentor For IPL 2025

Former West Indies all-rounder Dwayne Bravo has been appointed as a mentor for the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), the 2024 IPL champions. The franchise announced this development in an official press release on September 27, stating that Bravo will also contribute to their other global franchises, including those in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), Major League Cricket (MLC), and ILT20.

At 40 years old, Bravo previously served as the bowling coach for the Chennai Super Kings during the 2024 IPL season. He takes over the mentor role from Gautam Gambhir, who was KKR’s head coach after guiding the team to two IPL titles as captain in 2012 and 2014. Gambhir helped KKR win the title again in his first year as a mentor but has now left the position to join the Indian men’s cricket team as head coach.

“DJ Bravo joining us is an exciting development. His relentless drive to win, along with his vast experience and deep knowledge, will greatly benefit our franchise and players. We’re also pleased that Bravo will be involved with our other franchises globally, including CPL, MLC, and ILT20,” Knight Riders group CEO Venky Mysore said in a press release.

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Dwayne Bravo Embraces New Role as Mentor, Reflects on 10-Year Journey with Trinbago Knight Riders

“I’ve been part of the Trinbago Knight Riders for the last 10 years in the CPL. Having played for and against the Knight Riders in various leagues, I have a lot of respect for how they operate. The owners’ passion, the professionalism of the management, and the family-like environment make it a special place. This is the perfect platform for me as I transition from playing to mentoring and coaching the next generation of players,” Bravo said after his appointment.

In the Indian Premier League (IPL), Dwayne Bravo played for MS Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings, but he also represented the Mumbai Indians from 2008 to 2010 and the Gujarat Lions in the 2016 season. He is renowned for holding the record for dismissing the most batters in T20 cricket, having played a total of 582 matches across more than a dozen teams and taking 631 wickets.

Bravo was also a key member of the West Indies men’s cricket team, winning the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in both 2012 and 2016 under the leadership of Daren Sammy. His contributions in both domestic and international cricket have solidified his reputation as one of the great all-rounders of the game.

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BCCI Unlikely To Increase Number Of Matches In IPL 2025 Due To Players Workload Management – Report

 The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is not expected to increase the number of matches in the Indian Premier League (IPL). According to a report by IPLwin365.online, the 2025 edition of the IPL will feature 74 matches, which is 10 fewer than the 84 matches scheduled in 2022 when the media rights for the 2023-2027 cycle were sold.

In the tender document for this new rights cycle, the IPL proposed a varying number of matches for each season: 74 matches for 2023 and 2024, 84 matches for 2025 and 2026, and a maximum of 94 matches for the final year of the deal in 2027.

According to the report, the primary reason for not increasing the number of matches in the IPL is to manage player workload effectively. India, currently ranked No. 1 in the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 points table, is set to play a five-match Test series against England next year, following the WTC final scheduled at Lord’s. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) aims to ensure that players have adequate rest to prepare for the WTC final, should they qualify.

The 2024 edition of the IPL ran from March 22 to May 26, and the 2025 edition is expected to take place from mid-March to the last week of May.

“We have not taken a call on organising 84 matches in IPL 2025 since we also have to factor the load on the players due to the increase in matches,” BCCI secretary Jay Shah told the Economic Times recently. “While it’s (84 matches) part of the contract, it’s up to the BCCI to decide whether to organise 74 or 84 matches.”

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