Buchanan to coach IPL's Kolkata franchise

John Buchanan, the former Australia coach, will take charge of the Kolkata side in the Indian Premier League, AAP has reported.

Buchanan will join fellow Australians Tom Moody and Greg Shipperd in coaching IPL sides. The Mohali franchise has signed on Moody, the former Sri Lanka coach, while Greg Shipperd, the Victoria coach, will join the Delhi team. This is Buchanan's first serious coaching role since stepping down after Australia's victorious World Cup campaign in 2007.

Buchanan dismissed suggestions that having players from different countries in the same team will be a hurdle. "I don't ever see that as a problem, once players merge together as a side you are actually trying to achieve a result," Buchanan said. "What will be interesting is that you will have Australian players, Indian players, New Zealand players, Sri Lankan players, Pakistani players ... and they could all end up in the one franchise."

Besides 'icon' player Sourav Ganguly, the Kolkata franchise includes Shoaib Akhtar, Ricky Ponting, Brendon McCullum, Chris Gayle, Ishant Sharma, Ajit Agarkar, David Hussey, Murali Kartik and Tatenda Taibu - who came on board following Wednesday's player auction.

"That will make for an interesting cultural exchange no doubt ... and that will be one of the exciting parts, bringing together cultural differences in a very short period of time," he said.

Although the ICC has ruled out any special window in the international cricket calendar for the IPL, Buchanan had a different viewpoint. "It has the potential to revolutionise the game, at least in the way of delivery and to take it globally," Buchanan said. "I think that [a scheduling window] is what will happen in the next 12 months, and it does have the potential to be damaging either way if it is not worked out properly."