Anil Kumble in talks with Delhi Daredevils for mentor role in IPL 2019

Anil Kumble is in line to return to coaching once again. If the ongoing talks with Delhi Daredevils develop into something more than just talks, the former India coach could well return to coaching as the mentor for the franchise in time for IPL 2019.

It looks like Delhi Daredevils are looking for an overhaul after the side finished bottom in IPL 2018 and the JSW Group led by the Jindals, who jointly run the franchise along with Kiran Kumar Grandhi’s GMR, are the ones pushing for the move.

Speaking about reports of the franchise being in talks with the former India captain and coach, JSW head Parth Jindal told Mumbai Mirror: “We’ve touched base with him. The talks are on. If we are able to convince him, it would be great”.

If Kumble does pen to paper on the deal, he will rejoin with Ricky Ponting, who he worked with at Mumbai Indians for a year in 2015. With Ponting having already been retained by the Delhi Daredevils ahead of IPL 2019, the arrival of Kumble as the mentor might mean that the duo is set to have the same roles they had at MI in 2015 when the side won the IPL, at Delhi Daredevils.

According to the report, Sourav Ganguly, who is very close to the Jindals, has been instrumental in the Daredevils' decision to look at Kumble for the role of a mentor in next year's IPL.

Ganguly, as part of the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) appointed by the Committee of Administrators (COA), was primarily responsible for Kumble getting the job as India's coach in 2016. Despite success on the field, a fallout with captain Virat Kohli meant that Kumble resigned and was replaced by Ravi Shastri.