Former West Indies all-rounder Dwayne Bravo has concluded his illustrious journey with Chennai Super Kings (CSK), a franchise with which he won four IPL titles. Bravo will now transition to a mentorship role at Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) from the 2025 season, marking the next chapter in his cricketing career.

Bravo bids farewell to CSK, joins KKR as mentor

Dwayne Bravo, who turns 41 in October, has officially joined KKR as a mentor for IPL 2025, replacing Gautam Gambhir, who recently took over as India’s head coach. This change follows Gambhir’s leadership in helping KKR secure their third IPL title. Bravo’s move was confirmed soon after his retirement from all forms of cricket, including T20 leagues, which he announced a day prior to his appointment.

The move comes after Bravo’s meeting with KKR CEO Venky Mysore during the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), where they finalized a long-term agreement. In addition to his role with KKR, Bravo will oversee all Knight Riders franchises in other T20 leagues, including Trinbago Knight Riders (CPL), Los Angeles Knight Riders (MLC), and Abu Dhabi Knight Riders (ILT20).

Venky Mysore expressed his excitement about Bravo’s arrival: “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.”

Bravo’s transition from player to coach

Dwayne Bravo, who was part of CSK’s iconic squad, enjoyed a successful stint with the franchise after joining them in 2011. He retired from playing in the IPL after the 2022 season but stayed with CSK, transitioning to their bowling coach for the 2023 season. His impact was immediate, as CSK clinched their fifth IPL title that year, defeating defending champions Gujarat Titans.

Bravo has an illustrious T20 career, being the third-highest wicket-taker in IPL history and the only player to win the Purple Cap twice. His experience in the game, especially as a death bowler, made him a crucial player and, later, an astute tactician.

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“I’ve been part of Trinbago Knight Riders for the last 10 years in CPL. Having played for and against the Knight Riders in various leagues, I have a lot of respect for how they operate,” said Bravo. “This is the perfect platform for me as I transition from playing to mentoring and coaching the next generation of players.”

Bravo’s coaching journey has been on a steady rise, with him recently serving as a consultant coach for Afghanistan during the 2024 T20 World Cup, where the team made history by reaching the semi-finals. With this next step at KKR, Bravo aims to share his expertise and guide players across the Knight Riders’ T20 franchises globally.

The Afghanistan Cricket Board has made a strategic move by appointing former West Indies all-rounder Dwayne Bravo as their bowling consultant for the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, which will be held in the Caribbean and the USA.

Dwayne Bravo: A Legendary Career

Dwayne Bravo’s cricketing career is nothing short of illustrious. He played 295 international matches for West Indies, amassing 6423 runs and taking 363 wickets. However, his real forte lies in T20 cricket, where he is currently the leading wicket-taker with 625 scalps in 573 games. His recent stint in the ILT20, where he played a crucial role for the champions, MI Emirates, showcases his continued relevance in the format.

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Impact of Bravo’s Appointment on Afghanistan

Bravo brings a wealth of experience and a winning mentality to the Afghan camp. His expertise in T20 strategies, particularly in death bowling and variations, is expected to enhance Afghanistan’s bowling capabilities significantly.

Afghanistan’s Preparations for the T20 World Cup

The Afghanistan team has already arrived in St. Kitts and Nevis to begin a 10-day training camp. This camp, overseen by the coaching staff, including Bravo, is crucial for fine-tuning skills and building team cohesion.

Warm-up Matches and Initial Challenges

Afghanistan’s preparation includes warm-up games against Oman on May 29 and Scotland on May 31. These matches are critical for assessing player form, experimenting with combinations, and implementing Bravo’s strategies. The primary objective is to gain momentum and build confidence ahead of the tournament.

Afghanistan’s Group Stage Opponents

Placed in Group C, Afghanistan will face West Indies, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, and Uganda. Each match poses unique challenges. The games against West Indies and New Zealand are particularly significant, requiring strategic planning and execution to advance to the knockout stages.

Afghanistan’s Squad Overview

Afghanistan’s squad for the T20 World Cup is a mix of experienced campaigners and promising young talents. Key players like Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi, and Hazratullah Zazai will be pivotal. The squad’s strengths lie in its potent spin attack and explosive batting lineup, while its main weaknesses revolve around inconsistencies in its pace bowling and middle-order stability.

Dwayne Bravo, the renowned West Indies all-rounder and current bowling coach of Chennai Super Kings (CSK), has brought a wealth of experience and expertise to the Indian Premier League (IPL). Since taking over the role from Laxmipathy Balaji in 2023, Bravo has played a pivotal role in enhancing the performance of CSK’s fast-bowling arsenal. After losing the important encounter against LSG in Lucknow by 8 wickets, CSK is now looking for perfect revenge in their den “chepauk” against LSG today. Before the clash, CSK’s bowling coach praised bowlers and provided some insights on training sessions.

Dwayne Bravo’s Impression of Matheesha Pathirana

One of the standout talents under Bravo’s guidance is Matheesha Pathirana, whom Bravo fondly calls “Baby Malinga” and “Baby Goat” owing to his remarkable resemblance to the legendary Lasith Malinga in both action and effectiveness. Pathirana’s innate ability and skill set have impressed Bravo, who believes that some players, like Pathirana, require minimal coaching due to their natural flair for the game.

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“Pathirana is very special. I call him Baby Malinga. I also call him Baby Goat. He is not someone you try to coach because he has a natural ability and skill,” Bravo said, heaping praise on the Sri Lankan fast bowler.

Mustafizur Rahman’s Unique Skill Set

Bravo also lauds Mustafizur Rahman’s contributions, highlighting his unconventional bowling action and mastery of delivering slower balls. Rahman’s reputation for having one of the best slower balls in the world has made him a valuable asset for CSK. Bravo acknowledges the importance of empowering such players with knowledge and information rather than overwhelming them with excessive coaching.

“Fizz (Mustafizur) is also very special. He has a unique action. He has the reputation of having one of the best slower balls in the world. You don’t try to over-coach these players. You just empower them with knowledge, and information and try to keep it simple,” Bravo added.

Tushar Deshpande’s Performance

In addition to Pathirana and Rahman, Bravo expresses his admiration for Tushar Deshpande, whose consistent performances have caught the attention of both fans and experts alike. Deshpande’s growth and resilience on the field have earned him praise from Bravo, reflecting the coach’s keen eye for talent and dedication to nurturing it.

“Tushar, I am very very impressed with him. Especially last season and also this season. We said in our team meetings, we want to be the smartest bowling team in the competition. We see to it that we don’t repeat our mistakes. We have to be prepared for every scenario. We do drills, especially by keeping in mind the ground dimension. We practice with vision, with a purpose. When people look at us, they should see a plan, sometimes it doesn’t work, but most times, it will,” Bravo added.

CSK’s Strategy for Bowling Excellence

Under Bravo’s guidance, CSK aspires to be the epitome of bowling excellence in the IPL, aiming to outsmart their opponents with meticulous planning and execution. The team’s commitment to avoiding repetitive mistakes and preparing for every conceivable scenario underscores Bravo’s emphasis on strategic prowess and adaptability.

“You can’t last long without a yorker. If you look at players, who have had most of the success in T20 cricket, Lasith Malinga, Bumrah or Pathirana, myself when I played, we had a similar plan, try to bowl as many yorkers as possible,” he added.

Proficiency in Bowling Yorkers

Bravo emphasizes the significance of mastering the art of bowling yorkers, citing it as a crucial skill for bowlers in T20 cricket. Through focused coaching sessions, Bravo instils confidence in his bowlers, encouraging them to embrace the challenge and refine their yorker deliveries to perfection.

Veteran batsman Darren Bravo has announced his withdrawal from West Indies cricket through a social media post, citing his exclusion from the One Day International series against England as the reason. Despite being the top run-scorer in the Super50 and a prominent batsman in regional tournaments, Bravo was not chosen for the ODI series, and he attributes this decision to his age.

In the past four years, Bravo has been a consistent performer in Caribbean cricket, boasting impressive averages of 96.2, 65.0, 48, and 83.2 runs per inning. His recent standout performance in the CG United Super50 Cup Tournament saw him lead the Red Force to victory, earning him the Golden Bat with a remarkable tally of 416 runs, including a best of 139 not out and a leading average of 83.2. Interestingly, this average surpassed that of any other batsman selected for the West Indies’ ODI series against England.

Despite his noteworthy contributions, the 34-year-old, who is also the brother of Dwayne Bravo, expressed his disappointment on Instagram. He revealed feeling left in a ‘very dark place’ due to the lack of communication from the selectors.

Darren Bravo’s Reflective Decision to Step Back from International Cricket

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“I’ve taken some time to ponder and wonder what’s my next step moving forward as a cricketer. At this point in my career it’s not easy or should I say it takes a lot to continue to find the energy, passion, commitment, and discipline to be able to perform to the best of my ability and put myself in a position to make my return to international cricket. Without any level of communication I’ve been left in a very dark place,” Bravo wrote in his statement on Instagram.

Bravo said that he is not giving up, but it’s important to give a chance to the youngsters as well. He opened up on the importance of opening doors for emerging talent and wished everyone the best. He further said that he has lived his dream and wished good luck to all the selected players for a better future.

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“At the moment there’s three teams representing the region in multiple formats/series. That’s approximately 40-45 players and if I can’t be in any of these teams after competing in our regional tournaments and scoring runs, therefore they are basically telling me that the writing is on the wall. I’m not giving up but I believe it’s best to step away just for a bit and maybe make some room for a young and upcoming talent. I will end by wishing each and everyone all the very best. “I’ve lived my dream,” Bravo added. 

Throughout his career, Dwayne Bravo, in his ten-season stint, did his magic in the back end of the innings. On quite a few occasions, MS Dhoni would often hold him back and then have Dwayne Bravo bowl all his four overs in one go from the 14th over.

This season, with Chennai back in Chepauk, death bowling was an issue. They did not have too many options for the back end, and against both Gujarat and Lucknow, in their first two games, Tushar Deshpande bore the brunt of the death overs struggles. He could not hit the yorker, a delivery that does not come to him naturally. In the last two years though, Deshpande spent quite a bit of time with Dwayne Bravo and stuck to his plan of attempting outside of Yorkers, with an off-side packed field. The plan worked, with Dwayne Bravo guiding Tushar Deshpande, who executed the Yorker well.

CSK though were already depleted with their fast bowlers. Kyle Jamieson and Mukesh Choudary were ruled out before the season. A couple of games in, both Deepak Chahar and Sisanda Magala were injured, and CSK had to rope in Matheesha Pathirana, who had just recovered from Covid. Facing Bangalore, with Faf and Maxwell blazing, it was Matheesha Pathirana who put the brakes on their attack as he closed out the game for the Chennai Super Kings.

Throughout his and Deshpande’s time this season, a common feature has been Dwayne Bravo. Whenever both of them had the ball in the back end, Dwayne Bravo could be seen watching from the boundary, near the ball boys, keeping a close eye on his death bowlers. With Dwayne Bravo in the background, the Chennai Super Kings found a coach who has made it a lot easier to build a crop of bowlers around him. He helped bring Akash Singh up to speed and is often seen with both Pathirana and Deshpande.

Coming back to Pathirana, his action, and ability to hit the Yorkers consistently has made it easy for MS Dhoni to use him. With Pathirana hitting the length well, and with Deepak Chahar working his magic in the initial phase, MS Dhoni has found it easy to hold Pathirana back for the end, which has now made the death overs a very strong stage of the game for Chennai Super Kings.

With a lot of questions on who could replace Dwayne Bravo, after the master death bowler announced his retirement, CSK have found two players to replace two of their old stars. In Pathirana they now have an out-and-out death bowler, who has a Malinga-like action, and in Tushar Deshpande, they have a bowler like Shardul Thakur, who could be very expensive but also picks up a fair amount of wickets.