Coach Buchanan sacked by IPL team

Former Australia coach Buchanan will be on the opposite side this summer

Prospective England coach John Buchanan has been sacked by Indian Premier League team Kolkata Knight Riders.

Buchanan is due to take up a short-term role with the England and Wales Cricket Board later this month, working with the under-19 and England Lions teams.

But he has been sacked by the Riders after the team finished at the bottom of this year's IPL competition, losing 10 of 14 matches in South Africa.

"He has not achieved everything that he set out to," said part-owner Jay Mehta.

"Buchanan had a vision for Knight Riders. Unfortunately, it has not brought the results that are so necessary to this franchise."

Former Australia coach Buchanan's theoretical coaching style and innovations, such as using multiple captains during a match, brought some criticism during the IPL this year, including from former India captain Sourav Ganguly.

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Ganguly was Kolkata's captain in 2008, but was replaced by New Zealander Brendon McCullum this year. McCullum led the team throughout this year's IPL and the multiple captaincy experiment seemed to have been abandoned.

And Buchanan has also been criticised by legendary Aussie spinner Shane Warne, saying his decision to work with England ahead of the Ashes is "a great move because that means we (Australia) have got more of a chance.

"Hopefully he will be doing his stuff and overcomplicating things."

Buchanan coached Australia for eight years, overseeing Australia winning a world record 16 consecutive Tests and claiming the 2003 and 2007 ODI World Cups.