Gulf Giants have named Michael Klinger as their batting coach, the latest step in a major overhaul of the support staff after a poor previous season. The 45-year-old has coached in franchise leagues around the world and is well regarded for player development and T20 expertise.
Klinger’s background
The former Australia player began coaching with Melbourne Renegades in the Big Bash League and later led Manchester Originals Women in The Hundred. He currently coaches Gujarat Giants in the Women’s Premier League, another team owned by Adani Sportsline, which also owns Gulf Giants.
Klinger said it was an exciting chance to join another team in the group. He described strong foundations at the Giants and said he was keen to work closely with Simon and the rest of the staff to build a solid unit.
The rest of the staff
His appointment follows by a month the naming of Simon Helmot as head coach in place of former England batter Jonathan Trott. Kadeer Ali has been hired as fielding coach and Gary Brent as strength and conditioning coach. They join bowling coach Shane Bond, physiotherapist James Pipe and performance analyst Saurabh Walkar. In an official statement, the franchise highlighted Klinger’s familiarity with the group’s high-performance culture.
Looking for a turnaround
The Giants need to improve after the last ILT20 season. Captained by England’s James Vince, they finished second from bottom, won only three games and lost their last five. Even so, they have a notable record, having won the inaugural ILT20 title in 2023 by beating Desert Vipers in the final.
