IPL 2020: Tatenda Taibu hopes to bag coaching stint with ex-team KKR after long hiatus

Tatenda Taibu set the benchmark for Zimbabwean cricket in 2008 when he became a part of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the inaugural Indian Premier League (IPL) under Sourav Ganguly. Until 2019, Taibu held the record of being the youngest captain in Test cricket of all time, leading Zimbabwe at the age of 20. The 36-year-old is now hoping to get a coaching stint with KKR in the IPL alongside Brendon McCullum or with any Ranji Trophy team.

ALSO READ | Mumbai Indians set to face CSK in IPL 2020 opener on March 29, final on May 24

IPL 2020: Tatenda Taibu hails tournament for the development of Indian cricket

Taibu was attending an event as a guest in Thiruvananthapuram recently when he talked about his experience in the IPL and his aspirations for the future. The Zimbabwean credited the IPL for giving him great exposure in the brief stint that he enjoyed with the Knight Riders in 2008. Taibu credited the IPL for helping the game grow in India and lauded it for making India the biggest team in world cricket. Referring to the festival-like status that the IPL enjoys, Taibu added that the IPL allows youngsters to come in touch with some of the best cricket personnel from around the world and its impact has definitely made the cash-rich league a force to reckon with.

ALSO READ | Rajasthan Royals to play two IPL 2020 games in Guwahati: Assam Finance Minister

The former Zimbabwean captain mentioned how he recently missed out on a support staff role with the Sri Lankan national team and his aspirations now lie in coaching an IPL franchise or even a Ranji Trophy team. The wicketkeeper was confident of the value that he stands to bring to the teams that he links up with. Taibu's stint in the IPL saw him play under Sourav Ganguly for the Kolkata Knight Riders in three matches of the 2008 tournament where he scored 31 runs. Taibu earned 1,25,000 USD for his stint in the 2008 IPL (₹1,07,01,985 in 2020 after inflation).

ALSO READ | IPL 2020: Twitterati mock RCB after the team launches new logo on Valentine's Day

KKR Team 2020

Here is the Dinesh Karthik-led team's entire lineup for IPL 2020

1. Dinesh Karthik (captain)
2. Shivam Mavi
3. Sandeep Warrier
4. Kuldeep Yadav
5. Eoin Morgan
6. Pat Cummins
7. Harry Gurney
8. Sunil Narine
9. Nikhil Naik
10. M Siddharth
11. Andre Russell
12. Lockie Ferguson
13. Prasidh Krishna 
14. Shubman Gill
15. Nitish Rana
16. Siddhesh Lad
17. Kamlesh Nagarkoti
18. Rinku Singh
19. Varun Chakravarthy
20. Tom Banton
21. Pravin Tambe
22. Chris Green
23. Rahul Tripathi

ALSO READ | IPL 2020 and India ODIs make Pakistan sweat as South Africa refuse playing 3 T20Is: Report