Former New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum on Monday announced his retirement from all cricket with the Global T20 tournament in Canada being his final assignment. Now, the news comes out that the swashbuckling batsman is going to be the assistant coach for Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2020.
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Brendon McCullum is set for his maiden coaching stint. As per a report in ESPNcricinfo, he will be appointed as assistant coach of IPLfranchise Kolkata Knight Riders and head coach of CPL franchise Trinbago Knight Riders, the sister franchise of KKR.
Brendon McCullum will replace Simon Katich:
KKR, last month, had confirmed the exit of head coach Jacques Kallis and assistant coach Simon Katich. Brendon McCullum’s association with KKR family goes back to 2008. It was when he lit up the inaugural edition of IPL with an emphatic 158* in the opening game.
Coincidentally, he will replace Simon Katich on both sides. With KKR, he will be associated as an assistant coach. And, at Trinbago Knight Riders he will replace the Australian as head coach. The flamboyant striker of the ball called curtains on his International career in 2016 but played T20 across the world.
McCullum had already quit playing in the Indian Premier League after going unsold int he auctions in December last year. Then, he retired from the Big Bash League in February this year. Now, after retirement from Global T20, he signed a deal to be the assistant coach of Kolkata Knight Riders.
After playing for KKR in his initial IPL days, later, he played for Chennai Super Kings, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Gujarat Lions. However, RCB released him last year. Brendon McCullum did not find a purchaser in auction for IPL 2019, thus, missed the season for the first time in his career.
Brendon McCullum retired from international cricket in 2016. He played 101 Tests, 260 ODIs and 71 T20I for New Zealand since 2004. Finished with 6453 runs in the longest format at an average of 38.64 with 12 centuries and 31 fifties.
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In the 50-over format, he amassed 6083 runs at 30.41 including 5 centuries and 32 half-centuries. In the shortest format, he made 2140 runs at 35.66 with two tons.