Brett Lee Getty Images
Brett Lee Getty Images

Brett Lee feels that Kings XI Punjab will reach new heights in IPL helped by the expertise of former Indian spinner Anil Kumble, who had signed a two year deal with them and will take charge during the 13th edition of IPL which is scheduled in UAE and is to be played from September 19 to November 10.

Former pacer Brett Lee has praised former Indian captain spinner Anil Kumble and expects Kings XI Punjab to do well under his guidance as head coach. Anil Kumble has vast experience and knowledge of cricket which will help Punjab in search of their maiden IPL trophy win.

Brett Lee KKR
Brett Lee KKR. (Photo Source: BCCI)

Brett Lee expects KXIP to do well under Kumble’s guidance

Brett Lee has previously played for Kings XI Punjab besides Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL says that players will be helped by the guidance of Kumble and he hoped that they can win their inaugural title, besides adding that he loved to play for the franchise.

Brett Lee played for KXIP from 2008 to 2010 and in KKR from 2011 to 2013. He has taken more than 300 wickets in both tests and one-dayers for Australia.

Anil Kumble. KXIP Coach
Anil Kumble. KXIP Coach @Instagram

“Having someone like that (Kumble) in terms of the mix of the team and certainly the squad will be invaluable,” Lee said on Star Sports show Cricket Connected.

“The knowledge, the experiences, will definitely help. Kings XI need to win, they have got a great squad, they have got a wonderful team that can definitely get close and close but they have not got over the line yet, so, I’m actually waiting for that to happen.

“A great franchise to play for, I put up my hand-up and say that was a lot of fun to play for that franchise,” he added.

Anil Kumble also coached the Indian national team and stepped down in 2017 after the conclusion of the champion’s trophy taking over the new role at KXIP after Mike Hesson quit his job to join Royal Challengers Bangalore as director of cricket.

Anil Kumble has no prior experience in coaching any IPL franchise before

Anil Kumble has not had any prior experience of being a head coach for any franchise in the IPL and the KXIP role is his first. He, however, was part of the backroom staff of RCB and Mumbai Indians (MI) respectively as a mentor.

Anil Kumble. (File Pic - Getty Images)
Anil Kumble. (File Pic – Getty Images)

 

Anil Kumble, a right-arm leg spinner, played tests and ODIs for 18 years for India and is the third-highest wicket-taker of all time after contemporaries Muttiah Muralitharan and Shane Warne in Tests by taking 619 test wickets.
He is famously known for taking all ten wickets in an innings in a test match against Pakistan in 1999. He and England’s Jim Laker are the only ones to have achieved the feat. In the IPL, he previously played for Royal Challengers Bangalore.