From Wickets to Whistles: Dwayne Bravo Named TKR Head Coach

By Mehr Jan

In a major move ahead of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) 2025 season, the Trinbago Knight Riders have named Dwayne Bravo as their new head coach. 

The former West Indies allrounder takes over from Phil Simmons, who now oversees the Bangladesh men’s national team.

Bravo shared his excitement via social media, saying, “It’s an honor to be named head coach of TKR, a team that means so much to me. I want to thank coach Phil Simmons for his leadership and commitment in recent years. Now, I’m ready to embrace this new challenge with my coaching staff.”

Bravo’s CPL resume is as decorated as it gets. 

Across 107 matches from 2013 to 2024, he collected 129 wickets at an economy rate of 8.74. The 40-year-old featured in nine of the league’s 11 editions, winning five titles—including a championship run with St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots in 2021 when he briefly departed TKR.

His long-standing connection with the Knight Riders group has only deepened since retirement. In 2024, he was appointed head coach of the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders in the ILT20. 

He also served as a mentor for Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2025 and worked as a bowling consultant for Chennai Super Kings during the 2023 and 2024 seasons, following the conclusion of his playing career in 2022.

Bravo’s coaching credentials were further tested and sharpened at the international level when he took on the role of bowling consultant for Afghanistan during the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup. Afghanistan’s dream run was halted in the semi-finals by South Africa, but the team’s spirited performance earned widespread acclaim.

The upcoming 13th edition of the CPL is scheduled from August 14 to September 21. 

TKR will be aiming to bounce back after a third-place finish last season, which ended with a disappointing loss to the Barbados Royals in the Eliminator.