5 IPL franchises who have their former players in backroom staff ft. KKR and Gautam Gambhir

The lead-up to next year's IPL season and T20 World Cup has begun following the conclusion of the 2023 ODI World Cup. While India failed to clinch their third ODI World Cup trophy, they will be keen on making amends by winning the T20 World Cup next year.

IPL franchises have also begun their preparations for the upcoming campaign, which is just four months away. The auction will most probably take place on December 19, with Dubai being considered as a venue.

Gautam Gambhir announced on X (formerly Twitter) that he would be parting ways with the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG).

Soon after that, the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) announced Gambhir as their new Mentor for the upcoming IPL season. The opener has a long history with the Kolkata-based franchise, having led them during their most successful period.

On that note, let's explore five Indian Premier League franchises that have former players in their coaching setup.

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#1 Kolkata Knight Riders - Gautam Gambhir and Ryan ten Doeschate

Gautam Gambhir played for KKR from 2011 to 2017, scoring 3,345 runs in 121 innings. He is the leading run-scorer for the Knight Riders. Captaining the side during the seven seasons, Gambhir lifted two IPL titles for the team.

As mentioned earlier, he has now returned to KKR as a mentor and will try his best to bring silverware back to Eden Gardens. Ryan ten Doeschate, who played for KKR from 2011 to 2015, is the team's fielding coach.

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#2 Mumbai Indians - Sachin Tendulkar, Keiron Pollard, and Lasith Malinga

Mumbai Indians (MI) have always believed in their motto "One Family", which essentially means that once you represent the team, you will forever be associated with the franchise. Multiple former MI players have been part of their backroom staff.

Sachin Tendulkar is the icon, Keiron Pollard is the batting coach, and Lasith Malinga is the recently appointed bowling coach of the five-time IPL champions. Their scouting network and support staff have always been a step above the rest of the teams.

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#3 Chennai Super Kings - Stephen Fleming, Mike Hussey, and Dwayne Bravo

Chennai Super Kings (CSK), who are as successful as MI, have also had a history of recruiting former players in their backroom setup. Stephen Fleming, who played for CSK in 2008, has been the head coach of the team ever since.

Mike Hussey and especially Dwayne Bravo have been two of CSK's best overseas players of all time. The former is the batting coach, and the latter is the bowling coach of the Tamil Nadu-based franchise.

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#4 Sunrisers Hyderabad - Dale Steyn

Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) won one IPL title in 2016. The franchise, which was founded in 2012, consistently made the playoffs from 2016 to 2020. However, they have finished at the bottom of the table twice in the last three seasons.

The Orange Army have one former player in their backroom staff, Dale Steyn. One of the best fast bowlers of his generation, Steyn played for SRH from 2013 to 2015. He has been the fast bowling coach of SRH for the past two campaigns.

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#5 Delhi Capitals - James Hopes

Delhi Capitals (DC) are the only franchise on this list that has never won the IPL. The Rishabh Pant-led side enjoyed their golden era under Ricky Ponting's coaching from 2019–2021, where they came close to winning the title on a couple of occasions.

James Hopes, who plied his trade for Delhi Daredevils (now called Delhi Capitals) in the 2011 season, is now the side's bowling coach. Ajit Agarkar, another former DC player who was part of the coaching staff during the IPL 2023 season, is now the chairman of the BCCI selection committee.