Former Proteas star Jonty Rhodes is looking forward to the slower-pace challenge of coaching cricketing minnows, Sweden.
RHODES HAS SPENT THE PAST 7 WEEKS AT THE IPL
Since being appointed the coach of the Scandanavian nation – who are ranked a lowly 43rd in the ICC T20 rankings – in September, Rhodes, now 51, has spent the past seven weeks as the fielding coach of the Kings XI Punjab in the IPL.
Sadly for Rhodes and all Kings XI Punjab fans, the team finished in sixth place, outside the playoff spots.
Rhodes’ role in Sweden will extend beyond just coaching their national side.
Among his KPIs will be to help grow the game in the country and upskill other coaches in the system.
“The stress and money involved in an IPL environment sometimes takes the fun away … I’m actually looking forward to getting there (to Sweden) and just starting from scratch,” Rhodes said in an interview with the Daily Telegraph.
Whether sport-mad Rhodes, who has enjoyed stints coaching in Malawi, Nepal and Namibia, enjoys the sub-zero temperatures in the upcoming Swedish winter remains to be seen …
While the Swedish youth predominantly play baseball and ice-hockey, Rhodes will be tasked with converting those youngsters to the game of cricket.
Rhodes played 52 Tests and 245 ODIs for South Africa before retiring from the international area in early 2003.
Rhodes will forever be remembered for his exploits in the field, none more so than his run out of Pakistan’s Inzamam-ul-Haq at the 1992 Cricket World Cup.
