3 reasons why Kumar Sangakkara would be the perfect mentor replacement for Gautam Gambhir at KKR
Dominoes are falling and things are moving swiftly in the IPL off-season. It all started with former Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) mentor Gautam Gambhir's appointment as India men's head coach and his taking in Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) bowling coach Morne Morkel with him.
Suddenly LSG had two gaps - mentor and bowling coach - to fill and they got perhaps the best possible man to cover both positions, Zaheer Khan. KKR similarly lost not only their mentor but also batting coach Abhishek Nayar and fielding coach Ryan ten Doeschate, who joined Gambhir's team.
Meanwhile, Rahul Dravid, who got replaced by Gambhir, has reportedly re-joined Rajasthan Royals, a franchise he once played and mentored in, as the head coach. That, in turn, would leave the Director of Cricket Kumar Sangakkara without too many responsibilities at the Royals.
That explains why reports have linked Sangakkara to a possible move to KKR as the new mentor.
#3 IPL experienced
The first thing that sets Sangakkara apart from other reported names like Jacques Kallis is his experience with the Royals. He began serving as a coach in 2021 and helped the franchise get competitive again.
In his tenure, the Royals reached the playoffs twice and their first final since 2008. With that, a clear identity of the franchise emerged on and off the field, drawing new fans and running a good sustainable business alongside it.
Those are the kind of delicate contributions KKR need. They have one strong personality in head coach Chandrakant Pandit and Sangakkara could offer the deft touch and soft skills to bind the team together.
A big part of the Royals' success was their ability to come out with excellent signings in the auction and KKR would love to have one of the main men behind that in their team ahead of another mega auction.
IPL is a league like no other and even Gambhir's success with KKR came only after he had spent two good years at LSG. Sangakkara is tried and tested, has even coached teams outside the IPL, and is well respected - he was also considered for the England white-ball coach's job - which is a good starting point for a side looking to defend its title.
#2 Comparable environments, ease of transition
Sangakkara's move to KKR also makes sense because the franchise isn't too different from the Royals. In IPL 2024, they were almost equally matched until the second half of the season when the Royals fell off and lost all momentum due to many narrow consecutive losses.
The Royals were one of the few teams to beat KKR in the unbelievable season. Their philosophies of maximizing hitting talent in batting and working around smart T20 bowlers, especially experienced spinners, are almost identical.
Both franchises have also been two of the most data-heavy ones in recent times and Sangakkara would enjoy his time with one of the best in the business, Nathan Leamon, who was KKR's analyst last season and played a crucial role in helping the team find innovative solutions to their problems. That mindset is also similar to the Royals.
Sangakkara should hardly have any issues with Shreyas Iyer, who's in a similar phase of his career to Royals captain Sanju Samson. The Sri Lankan legend might also be able to double up as a batting coach and help Shreyas and others to get better.
#1 Superb with young players
Another similarity between the Royals and KKR is their focus on young talent. The two teams boast some of the best youngsters, who have either played for India already or are on the verge of their maiden call-ups.
Sangakkara is considered a superb asset for such a team, thanks to his ability to get the best out of youngsters. He's a brilliant communicator who not only gives clarity in roles but also backs those who need his support the most.
“Communication is key," Riyan Parag told ESPNcricinfo earlier in the year. "It's been really great working with him (Sangakkara) in the last three-four years. He's very open to suggestions. He is very keen on how you're developing your game even beyond the IPL, for the 10 months where no one's watching you. He's still checking on you, on what you're doing, how you're playing. It's been great working with him. He's a legend, but then he's a great human being too.”
KKR would aim to retain most of its young core after IPL 2024 and Sangakkara could play a big role in helping these players take the next step.