KKR rope in Boucher as wicket-keeping consultant

Former South Africa player Mark Boucher joined Kolkata Knight Riders as the wicketkeeping consultant. He will join his former Proteas team mate and close friend Jacques Kallis who is the head coach of the two-time Indian Premier League champions.

The former South African wicketkeeper joined the side on Wednesday and he was seen accompanying the team playing golf on the sidelines of a charity event in Kolkata.

A former KKR player courtesy of his stint in the fourth season of the IPL in 2011, Boucher will play a key role in honing the skills of their wicketkeeping duo of Robin Uthappa and Sheldon Jackson.

Boucher is the latest to join a group of high-profile South African coaches in the IPL that includes Paddy Upton (Delhi Daredevils coach), Jonty Rhodes (Mumbai Indians fielding coach), Eric Simons (Rising Pune Supergiants bowling coach) and Allan Donald (Royal Challengers Bangalore bowling coach).

The 39-year-old Boucher, who also represented Royal Challengers Bangalore between 2008 and 2010, has played 147 Tests, 295 ODIs and 25 T20Is, notching up a record 998 International dismissals, before a freak eye injury ended his career during their tour to England in 2012.

In a tour match against Somerset, Boucher suffered the injury after a dislodged bail hit his left eye that resulted in loss of his lens, iris and pupil.

It was an Imran Tahir googly that hit the stumps and the bail hit Boucher's left eye, forcing him to leave the field with a bleeding eye.

Image: Mark Boucher

Photograph: BCCI