Kallis looks to carry Bayliss’ mantle forward with KKR

"My coaching style would be similar to what his (Trevor Bayliss’) was. There is an old saying if it ain't broke, don't fix it," Kolkata Knight Riders coach Jacques Kallis has said ahead of his side's upcoming IPL campaign.

Published : Apr 07, 2016 21:17 IST , Kolkata

2016 will be Kallis' sixth year with Kolkata Knight Riders.
2016 will be Kallis' sixth year with Kolkata Knight Riders.
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2016 will be Kallis' sixth year with Kolkata Knight Riders.

Stepping in a new role as the head coach of the IPL side Kolkata Knight Riders, South African great Jacques Kallis said he would look to work on the system put in place by his predecessor Trevor Bayliss. Having spent five years since joining KKR as an impact player in 2011, Kallis’ involvement saw the team winning two titles and emerging as one of the strong sides in the tournament.

Kallis said the system instituted by Bayliss fetched the team good results and his job now will be to preserve the shape of the side and get the best result out of that. “Trevor was magnificent and he showed how good he was after taking over the England job. I am fortunate that a system is in place and would like to keep it unchanged. My coaching style would be similar to what his (Bayliss’) was. There is an old saying if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Certainly, I will be sticking to that theory,” Kallis said as the team prepared for its first match against Delhi Daredevils, scheduled here on Sunday.

The new coach sought to ensure that his boys do not lose crunch matches, which remained a reason for the team not reaching the play-offs last season. “We were one game away from making the playoff but that is the nature of Twenty20... Perhaps, we lost one or two games that we should not have. I see no reason why we cannot make the playoffs. We have certainly have got the side for it. We have to play some good cricket at the right time,” Kallis said.

Hopeful of successful Narine return

Kallis said he was hopeful of getting the team’s key offspinner Sunil Narine cleared for the IPL but indicated that the player may not be playing the first match. Narine was practicing with the team after arriving last week but returned home on receiving the news of his father’s death. Kallis informed that Narine, banned by the ICC for suspect bowling action, has worked a lot on rectifying his action and was hopeful of the player being cleared by ICC.

“He has done a lot of work. We have not got the official verdict from the ICC yet but hopefully it will come back positive. I am pretty sure of it,” Kallis said. “We are certainly not putting any pressure on him to get back. I know how tough a time it is. When he is right and he feels he is ready to play cricket he will come to us,” Kallis said, suggesting Narine’s unavailability in the upcoming tie.

About the KKR captain Gautam Gambhir not getting to play T20 internationals recently, Kallis hoped the layoff will help him come in fresh after the break. “We have had a lot of practice so far. The guys are hitting it well. Sometime coming in fresh and after a break is good. I see it as a positive and hopefully we will have a good season with him leading us from the front,” Kallis said.

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