By Omar Khalid,IANS,
Karachi : Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram is not interested in a full-time coaching stint with Kolkata Knight Riders, but is certainly keen to take up as a bowling consultant for the under-performing Indian Premier League (IPL) team.
Sources close to Akram confirmed to IANS Tuesday that the legendary fast bowler is certainly one of the candidates to take John Buchanan’s place in the Knight Riders’ set-up.
“He (Akram) is one of the four people being considered for the job,” said the source. “Akram is obviously excited about it but is more interested in taking up the role of a bowling consultant rather than a full-time coach at this point of time,” added the source.
According to the source, former New Zealand coach John Wright, who has coached India, is most likely to take over as Kolkata’s coach ahead of the next edition of the IPL in 2010.
Akram, 43, is expected to have a meeting with franchise owner Shah Rukh Khan and other members on the Kolkata Knight Riders interview panel including Sourav Ganguly, former India captain. The meeting is expected to take place early next week.
Apart from Wright and Akram, other prominent coaches in the run for the assignment are Richard Pybus and Duncan Fletcher.
Akram, who is regarded as one of the finest left-arm pacers in the history of world cricket, is a busy television commentator. That is why it is difficult for him to take out time for a full-time coaching assignment, said the source.