Imran Jan appointed Trinbago Knight Riders coach

TRINBAGO KNIGHT Riders (TKR) have appointed Imran Jan as their coach for the 2021 Caribbean Premier League (CPL) T20 tournament.

This comes after coach Brendon McCullum would be unavailable for this year’s edition owing to personal reasons and other covid19 restrictions.

A statement issued by the defending CPL champions on Saturday said, “Coach Brendon McCullum is unavailable for the CPL 2021 due to personal reasons and covid19 related travel restrictions. Consequently, TKR have appointed Imran Jan as coach for CPL 2021.”

McCullum was part of the TKR squad from 2016 to 2018 during which the franchise won back-to-back titles in 2017 and 2018. The former New Zealand captain was appointed TKR coach in 2019 and guided the franchise to the 2020 crown.

The 42-year-old Jan, a former Trinidad and Tobago and West Indies A opening batsman and occasional off-spinner, has been an assistant coach of TKR (formerly Trinidad and Tobago Red Steel) since the tournament’s inception in 2013.

Additionally, former TT and WI leg-spinner Dinanath Ramnarine has joined the TKR support staff as an advisor. Ramnarine, who previously served as president of the West Indies Players Association (WIPA) and chairman of the Sports Company of TT (SporTT), represented the WI in 12 Tests and four One Day Internationals between 1997 and 2002.

TKR begin their title defence against Guyana Amazon Warriors at Warner Park in Basseterre, St Kitts on Thursday.