18 June,2009 01:32 PM IST | | A Correspondent
Ever since the Kolkata Knight Riders, the most talked about Indian Premier League franchise courtesy its co-owner Shah Rukh Khan, started their miserable IPL-2 campaign, it was suspected that a second successive failure will be the end of the road for coach John Buchanan.
And on Thursday, it became official as a statement issued by the KKR management confirmed that KKR and Buchanan have decided to "part ways".
The statements reads: "The Knight Riders management and owners have reviewed the strengths and weaknesses of the team with all parties involved and are proactively looking for a new approach to ensure Knight Riders are well prepared for the 2010 season of IPL and beyond. As a part of this exercise, Knight Riders have consulted with John Buchanan to discuss a new approach. John, however, feels that his vision and direction for the team that he wishes to take are no longer aligned to those of the owners and franchise management, and as such he has decided to return to his coaching and corporate consulting work."
This clearly indicates difference of opinions, as was widely reported by the media (and by the fakeipl blogger) during the IPL where KKR finished at the bottom of the table.
Announcing the decision, Jay Mehta, co-owner of the franchise, said: ""John Buchanan has informed Knight Riders that despite his hard work over the past two seasons, he has not achieved everything that he set out to and has not been able take the franchise into the future as per his vision for this team. We have amicably agreed that Knight Riders will release him from his contract with immediate effect.
"I would like to state that John is a great coach. He had a vision for Knight Riders and did not waver from this vision. Unfortunately, it has not brought the results that are so necessary to this franchise. Knight Riders would like to wish him every success in his future wherever that may take him," added Mehta, husband of Juhi Chawla.
Buchanan thanked the KKR management for supporting him for two seasons. "Obviously, I am very disappointed in not being able to continue with the Knight Riders and complete the work I started some 18 months. I think we have the makings of a very good IPL franchise, and the foundations are there for 2010. I would like to thank everyone who supported me at Knight Riders, and I wish the team every success in 2010," he said.
The KKR management supported Buchanan wholeheartedly during both the seasons, despite the team finishing sixth and eighth respectively. Buchanan's controversial decisions included introduction of a multiple-captain theory, sacking of Sourav Ganguly as captain and then sending international cricketers back in the middle of the tournament.
