It appears that Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) mentor and T20 bowling legend Dwayne Bravo has taken a leave of absence midway through IPL 2026.
On the morning of April 28, Bravo shared a photo of a resort pool on her Instagram Story and wrote “Maldives night”. The move has largely confused fans as KKR has been struggling in IPL 2026.
Dwayne Bravo as Mentor
At the end of 2024, Dwayne Bravo ended his association with Chennai Super Kings as their bowling coach and joined KKR as a mentor starting from IPL 2025.
Bravo retired from all forms of cricket and soon took up the job of mentor at KKR’s sister franchises – Abu Dhabi Knight Riders in the ILT20, Trinbago Knight Riders in the CPL and Los Angeles Knight Riders in the MLC. With TKR, Bravo won three CPL trophies as a captain and one as a player, as well as one as a consultant.
However, under Bravo as a mentor, KKR finished 8th in IPL 2025 and are at the same position in IPL 2026 with just 2 wins from 8 matches.
Bravo’s brilliant T20 career
Despite retiring one and a half years ago, till date Dwayne Bravo is the second highest wicket taker in the history of T20 cricket. He was usurped from the top by Afghanistan leg spinner Rashid Khan in January 2025.
Apart from his excellent bowling in the death overs in T20, Bravo is also known for his ability to win T20 trophies. Overall, Bravo has won 17 official T20 titles – specifically, the Caribbean Premier League five times (including four as captain), the IPL three times (all with CSK), and the T20 World Cup twice. Only fellow Trinidadian Kieron Pollard has more T20 trophies.
Bravo’s Instagram story can be seen here
📲 DJ Bravo’s Instagram Story:
– Looks like he’s gone to the Maldives pic.twitter.com/j4JtGPQT8L
– KKR Caravan (@KkrKaravan) 28 April 2026
Previous controversies by IPL bosses
Dwayne Bravo is not the first mentor to court controversy in the middle of an IPL season. In 2025, former England captain and Delhi Capitals mentor Kevin Pietersen had visited the island nation.
Despite DC’s season hanging in the balance, Pietersen took leave and was trolled by DC players upon his return. He will no longer continue in this post.
Also read: Will you be punished? Delhi Capitals co-owner issues official statement after insult against RCB
KKR is struggling in IPL 2026
In this year’s IPL, KKR has had to struggle from the very beginning. After no wins in their first six matches, they managed to win two matches in a row, but are still in eighth place.
Of the two matches they have won in IPL 2025, one was in a thrilling Super Over against bottom-placed LSG.
KKR will take on Sunrisers Hyderabad on May 3 in Hyderabad. KKR has already lost once this season to SRH by a huge margin of 65 runs. That match was in his home ground Kolkata.
It remains to be seen whether Dwayne Bravo will make a comeback before KKR’s next match or not.
