Hours after announcing his retirement from professional cricket on Friday, West Indies all-rounder Dwayne Bravo has been roped in by Kolkata Knight Riders as the team mentor for the IPL 2025 season.
“Over his illustrious career, he has played 582 T20 matches, taken 631 wickets, and scored nearly 7,000 runs. With more championship wins than any other cricketer, Bravo’s experience is unparalleled,” KKR stated in an official release.
Bravo will take on the role from Gautam Gambhir who led the Knight Riders to their first IPL title since 2014 earlier this year. Gambhir later vacated the position as he took on the head coach role with India’s senior men’s side.
“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.
Say hello to our new Mentor, DJ ‘sir champion’ Bravo! 💜
Welcome to the City of Champions! 🎶🏆 pic.twitter.com/Kq03t4J4ia
— KolkataKnightRiders (@KKRiders) September 27, 2024
KKR also confirmed that Bravo will be seen in the role across the Knight Riders’ global franchises, including the Caribbean Premier League, Major League Cricket and ILT20.
Venky Mysore, CEO of Knight Riders Group, said: “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.”
The move also marks Bravo’s long-standing association with the Chennai Super Kings, first as a player between 2011-15 and 2018-22 and the bowling coach since 2023.
Retirement earlier in the day
Featuring in his final season of the Caribbean Preier League as a player, Bravo’s tournament with the Trinbago Knight Riders was cut short with an injury. Bravo, the highest wicket-taker in T20s, later made his retirement official on Friday.
”Today is the day I say goodbye to the game that has given me everything. From the age of five, I knew this was what I wanted to do–this was the sport I was destined to play. I had no interest in anything else, and I dedicated my entire life to you. In return, you gave me the life I dreamed of for myself and my family. For that, I can’t thank you enough,” Bravo wrote in an Instagram post.
