IPL 2020: Kings XI Punjab appoint Anil Kumble as Director of Cricket Operations, says report

Indian Premier League franchise Kings XI Punjab on Friday appointed former India leg spinner, captain and coach Anil Kumble as Director of Cricket Operations, according to a report in the Times of India. The Director of Cricket Operations role also allows Kumble to be the lead coach for the franchise. The report also states that former Australia batsman George Bailey is set to take over as the batting coach while former India left-arm spinner Sunil Joshi will don the role of assistant coach. The franchise might also rope in Jonty Rhodes as fielding coach as well as West Indies great Courtney Walsh as bowling coach. [caption id="" align=“alignnone” width=“380”]  File image of Anil Kumble. Reuters[/caption] “Kumble is our choice to coach Kings XI," Kings XI co-owner Ness Wadia is reported as saying by The Times of India on Thursday. “The world knows about his cricketing and coaching abilities. He’s a very calm, cool and collected person. He comes with a lot of experience in the IPL, having worked with two other franchises in the past, and also with the Indian team. We’re pretty sure that under his leadership, Kings XI will do very well,” he added. Kumble will replace Mike Hesson who parted ways with the franchise in August. Kumble has had stints as a mentor with Royal Challengers Bangalore and Mumbai Indians but this is the first time he would be taking up a coaching role in the Indian Premier League. Kumble is set to return to coaching almost two years after stepping down as Indian national team coach following a fallout with captain Virat Kohli.