New Delhi, India

West Indies' veteran all-rounder Dwayne Bravo has succeeded Gautam Gambhir as Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) mentor for the IPL 2025 edition. Gambhir rejoined the KKR camp, after 2017, to serve as Shreyas Iyer-led side's mentor in IPL 2024, leading them to their third title. Bravo, who retired from all forms of cricket after his CPL 2024 stint on Thursday (Sep 26), will join the Kolkata-based franchise after parting ways with Chennai Super Kings (CSK). At the CSK camp, he served as the bowling coach prior to this appointment.

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Bravo also expressed his enthusiasm and said, "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."

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During his illustrious career, Bravo has been a huge name in T20s. He has played 582 T20 games, claiming 631 wickets, and scored close to 7,000 runs. With more championship wins than any other cricketer, Bravo's experience will surely help the Kolkata camp. 

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Venky Mysore, CEO of Knight Riders Group, also reacted to Bravo's appointment and 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."

Bravo replaces Gambhir, who left the KKR mentorship spot vacant after being named as India head coach in early July. He rejoined the KKR camp after serving as Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) mentor from 2022-23. His rejoining at KKR proved to be fruitful with the franchise adding another IPL title to their cabinet. Their earlier two titles came during Gambhir's captaincy.