Decision on new Knight Riders captain by end of August

Mumbai: The Kolkata Knight Riders team management on Tuesday said they will decide about appointing the new captain and the coach for the next IPL season by the end of this month.

The franchise, co-owned by Bollywood star Shahrukh Khan, which finished last in the second season, had called the first of a series of meetings at the residence of the actor to deliberate on the matter.

The team CEO Joy Bhattacharya said that Sourav Ganguly, who led the team in the inaugural edition, will be a part of decision making.

"First we will decide on the coach, then team and lastly on the captain. Sourav Ganguly will be a part of the process and will play the role of a mentor," he said after the meeting.

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Among those present in the meeting apart from Bhattacharya were team co-owner Jay Mehta and Ganguly.

Before the meeting, the speculation was rife that Ganguly will be handed the reigns of the team yet again and New Zealand's John Wright could be given the job of the coach.

Even before the start of the extremely disappointing IPL-II, the Knight Riders team was rocked by a controversy when the then coach John Buchanan floated the multiple captaincy theory.

Ganguly later was axed as captain and flamboyant New Zealand batsman Brendon McCullum led the team which finished last in the eight-team competition and subsequently Buchanan was sacked.

As McCullum will not be available for the full season due to national team commitment, it was expected that Ganguly will be asked to lead the side.