Highlight
Mike Hesson has taken over the rest of IPL 2021 as RCB’s Head Coach.
Simon Katich left the role with personal reasons
IPL 2021 will resume in the UAE on 19 September
IPL 2021: Simon Katich retired from the post of Bangalore Head Coach for Royal Challengers for private reasons and Mike Hesson would take over the rest of the season, the franchise confirmed.
Ahead of the commencement of Season 14 of the Indian Premier League (IPL), the roster was named by Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in preparation for play in the UAE in September. Former Australian player Simon Katich has retired for personal reasons as the IPL’s Head Coach. As part of the team’s business continuation plan, Mike Hesson, in addition to his previous duty as Cricket Operations Director of the RCB, will also assume the duties of Head Coach for this season.
Speaking in a virtual press event about the return of the IPL 2021, Rajesh Menon, Vice-President and Head of Real Challengers in Bangalore said, “As the season begins again in the UAE, it will be an exciting chapter. Simon Katich chose to retire as head coach of the RCB. Thanks are due to Katich and wish him well in the future during his time at Royal Challengers. In the meanwhile, in addition to his existing duty as Director of Cricket, Mike Hesson will enter and carry out the duties of the head coach up to the end of the present season.”
Rajesh Menon also revealed that during the second IPL 2021 stage in UAE, Sri Lankan all-rounder, Wanindu Hasaranga will be part of RCB. He succeeds Adam Zampa of Australia. Hasaranga was a player in the Sri Lanka-India T20I series recently completed, taking seven Wickets in 3 matches at an economical rate of 5.58.
Dushmantha Chameera, another Sri Lankan, confirmed his spot on the side of Bengaluru. Daniel Sams is replaced by the fast bowler. For the remaining season, Tim David, who is no stranger to the T20 format, replaced Finn Allen at RCB.
Following tasting success in T20 tournaments around the world, Tim David will now test his skills in IPL.
The Indian players, the support personnel, and the team management will meet on Saturday in Bengaluru, after which the team will take 7 days of quarantine and Covid will be tested for 3 days. The team would thereafter fly from Bengaluru on a chartered flight on 29 August. Starting August 29, other foreign players and personnel will gather in the UAE. Another 6 days of quarantine will take place in the UAE.
On September 20, the Royal Challengers Bangalore resume IPL Season 14 when they are squatting up at the Sheik Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi against the Kolkata Knight Riders.
