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Jacques Kallis will take up a role in the KKR support staff © Getty
Cricket legend, Jacques Kallis will return to the Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2015, not as a player, but as a member of Kolkata Knight Riders' (KKR) support staff as mentor and batting consultant.
Kallis, who has been with KKR since 2011, said he jumped at the offer to extend his association with the Kolkata franchise. "KKR has been my Indian family for the last four years. I have built fantastic relationships with the management and the players and have been very fortunate to assist KKR in winning two IPL championships," Kallis was quoted as saying by a media release.
"Over the past year, I have had a chance to think about my future and when KKR approached me with this long-term offer, I jumped at it. KKR is a great brand and I am really looking forward to assisting them in my new role as mentor and batting consultant," Kallis said.
Kallis began his IPL career with Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the inaugural edition of the cash-rich tournament before moving east to Kolkata in the second major auction in 2011. He played a crucial role in Kolkata's run to the 2012 title.
In the 2014 auction, Kolkata used the Right to Match card to retain the all-rounder. However, he didn't have his usual impact in early stages of Kolkata's title winning campaign of 2014 before he was kept out of the remainder of the season's games.
He last played for the Knight Riders in the CLT20 final against the Chennai Super Kings in Bangalore. Kallis will, however, continue playing in the Big Bash and the Caribbean Premier League.
Kallis will join Vijay Dahiya, Wasim Akram and Trevor Bayliss in the KKR support staff, KKR CEO, Venky Mysore confirmed the news in a tweet.
Kallis, who has been with KKR since 2011, said he jumped at the offer to extend his association with the Kolkata franchise. "KKR has been my Indian family for the last four years. I have built fantastic relationships with the management and the players and have been very fortunate to assist KKR in winning two IPL championships," Kallis was quoted as saying by a media release.
"Over the past year, I have had a chance to think about my future and when KKR approached me with this long-term offer, I jumped at it. KKR is a great brand and I am really looking forward to assisting them in my new role as mentor and batting consultant," Kallis said.
Kallis began his IPL career with Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the inaugural edition of the cash-rich tournament before moving east to Kolkata in the second major auction in 2011. He played a crucial role in Kolkata's run to the 2012 title.
In the 2014 auction, Kolkata used the Right to Match card to retain the all-rounder. However, he didn't have his usual impact in early stages of Kolkata's title winning campaign of 2014 before he was kept out of the remainder of the season's games.
He last played for the Knight Riders in the CLT20 final against the Chennai Super Kings in Bangalore. Kallis will, however, continue playing in the Big Bash and the Caribbean Premier League.
Kallis will join Vijay Dahiya, Wasim Akram and Trevor Bayliss in the KKR support staff, KKR CEO, Venky Mysore confirmed the news in a tweet.
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