KKR appoint Ottis Gibson as assistant coach for IPL 2025
What's the story
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have named former West Indies pacer Ottis Gibson as their new assistant coach.
The 55-year-old joins a seasoned coaching unit featuring head coach Chandrakant Pandit, mentor Dwayne Bravo, bowling coach Bharat Arun, and spin coach Carl Crowe.
This strategic move strengthens KKR's coaching staff ahead of the highly anticipated IPL 2025 season.
Notably, KKR were the champions of the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) season.
Here's more.
Coaching journey
Gibson's impressive coaching credentials
Gibson brings a wealth of experience to KKR.
Gibson has twice served as England's bowling coach and was head coach of the West Indies (2010-14) and South Africa (2017-19).
Under his leadership, the West Indies clinched their first ICC World T20 title in 2012.
Gibson has also worked with Bangladesh, Yorkshire County, and several T20 franchises around the world.
Staff changes
KKR's revamped backroom staff for IPL 2025
Defending champions KKR will have a revamped coaching staff this season following Gautam Gambhir's move to lead the senior Indian men's team.
Abhishek Nayar and Ryan ten Doeschate have also joined Gambhir in the India setup.
The franchise recently appointed Ajinkya Rahane as captain, with Venkatesh Iyer serving as vice-captain.
Opener
IPL 2025 season to launch with KKR vs RCB face-off
The 18th edition of the IPL will kick off on Saturday, March 22.
Meanwhile, the opening match will take place at Kolkata's Eden Gardens, where the defending champions KKR will take on Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), who recently named Rajat Patidar as their new captain.
Additionally, KKR would be looking to defend their title, while RCB would make a strong push towards their maiden title.
Across 17 IPL seasons, the two teams have locked horns on 34 occasions.
Twitter Post
Official post by KKR confirming Gibson's appointment
Welcoming our Assistant Coach, Ottis Gibson 🫡 💜
— KolkataKnightRiders (@KKRiders) March 8, 2025
Ottis joins our strong support staff unit, comprising mentor Dwayne Bravo, head coach Chandrakant Pandit, bowling coach Bharat Arun, spin-bowling coach Carl Crowe and others. pic.twitter.com/7ZGp9okiWT