IPL 2025: Top Contenders for KKR’s Mentor Role, after Gambhir

As Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) gear up for the 2025 IPL season, they’re on the hunt for a new mentor to replace Gautam Gambhir, who recently resigned from his position to become the head coach of the Indian national men’s cricket team. Gambhir’s departure has left a significant gap in KKR’s management team, and the franchise is exploring some exciting options to fill this role.

Three notable candidates are making headlines: Rahul Dravid, Jacques Kallis, and Ashish Nehra. The past involvement of these former cricketers with Indian cricket and impressive leadership qualities make them strong contenders. With these high-profile candidates, KKR fans are eagerly awaiting who will take up the mantle and lead the team in the upcoming season.

Top 3 Contenders for KKR Mentor Role

1. Rahul Dravid

Since 2015, Rahul Dravid has been working with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in various roles. He has been the Head Coach for the India U-19 and India ‘A’ teams and the chairman of the National Cricket Academy (NCA). In October 2021, he became the Head Coach of the senior Indian cricket team. Now, Dravid, with his impressive cricket background, is in talks to coach a team in the 2025 IPL. There was earlier speculation about him joining KKR, and fans reacted on social media, with some saying that if Dravid became the KKR coach, they would top the Fair Play table.

2. Jacques Kallis

KKR is considering bringing back the famous South African all-rounder Jacques Kallis for the mentor role that was left open by Gambhir. Kallis has a strong history with KKR, having been the head coach from IPL 2016 to 2019 and a player from 2011 to 2014. While playing for KKR, Kallis won two IPL titles. As a coach, he led the team to the playoffs three times in a row from 2016 to 2018 before stepping down after KKR didn’t make the playoffs in 2019. After leaving KKR, Kallis became the batting consultant for the South African cricket team.

3. Ashish Nehra

Ashish Nehra is about to leave the Gujarat Titans before the 2025 IPL as part of a big change in team coaching staff ahead of the mega auction. Nehra was the first Indian head coach to win an IPL title when the Hardik Pandya-led team won the trophy in 2022. Nehra and the Director of Cricket for Gujarat Titans, Vikram Solanki, are expected to join Kolkata Knight Riders before the 2025 IPL. Both Nehra and Solanki have been with Gujarat Titans since their first IPL season in 2022, but they are likely to move to a new team soon that could be KKR. KKR wants aggressive men like in their management, and Nehra could be the best choice for.

So who will join KKR as mentor, this question will get answered soon. The mega auction is expected to be organized in December 2024 or January 2025. Let’s see will the KKR franchise manage to pick from these as their mentor for the next season. In the meantime, keep visiting Cricket Bet Pro for more IPL-related updates and interesting articles.

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