John Buchanan

John Buchanan’s tenure with the Kolkata Knight Riders, for all intents and purposes, is all but over. A formal announcement, though, is awaited and may not be made till principal owner Shah Rukh Khan returns from the US next month. Co-owner Jay Mehta is also overseas.

The Telegraph had reported on May 31 that it was almost certain that Buchanan would be replaced as the Knight Riders’ head of cricket operations.

The Knights, who had finished No. 6 in the IPL’s inaugural edition last year, ended at the bottom (No. 8) in the second edition in South Africa.

That Buchanan would get the boot is an internal decision taken by the Knight Riders management and may not be made official now.

Once Buchanan goes, there will be a huge question mark over coach Mathew Mott, and the support staff, including bowling coach Andy Bichel.

“I haven’t heard anything officially,” Buchanan told a website. “I may have more to say in the next day or two.”

While it is likely that icon Sourav Ganguly will get a bigger role, a much stronger Indian presence in the support staff is also expected. Steve Waugh’s name has also been doing the rounds as a possible replacement for Buchanan. Shah Rukh, one learns, may not take a decision in a hurry.

Buchanan’s stint with the Knight Riders triggered a massive controversy before this year’s tournament when he put forward the concept of multiple leaders in the team.

The team replaced Sourav with Brendon McCullum as captain just before their first match in the IPL. The team won just three of their 14 league games.

Shah Rukh had been with the Knights for the first five matches and would’ve gone back to South Africa had the McCullums been in contention for a last-four berth.

As it turned out, the Knights lost eight matches in a row before winning the last two. The wins, though, made no difference to the franchise’s standing.