Jonty Rhodes will take charge as head coach of Sweden post IPL 2020

Former South Africa cricketer Jonty Rhodes has been appointed head coach of the Sweden national cricket team, the International Cricket Council (ICC) confirmed on Thursday.

Jonty Rhodes has been roped in as part of the Swedish cricket board's broader plans to invest in junior cricket and high performance in the country.

Rhodes played 52 Tests, 245 ODIs, and is widely regarded as one of the greatest fielders in the sport's history. Rhodes scored over 8,400 international runs for South Africa - 2532 in Tests at 35.66 with 3 hundreds and 5935 in ODIs at 35.11 including 2 centuries.

Rhodes retired from the sport after the 2003 World Cup in South Africa following which he turned to coaching and broadcasting. He has essayed different roles in the coaching staffs of teams like South Africa, Kenya and Mumbai Indians. He is the current fielding coach for Kings XI Punjab.

”I am really excited to relocate to Sweden with my family and work together with the Swedish Cricket community.

"This



opportunity has come at a perfect time and I am grateful to be able to invest my energies in a completely new environment. I can't wait to get started,” Rhodes said after his appointment.

Benn Harradine, sports director of the Swedish Cricket Federation, believes Rhodes' appointment will play a "pivotal role" in taking Swedish cricket to the next level.

"Our growth targets and key areas are directed toward junior cricket and high performance. Jonty will play a pivotal role in lifting our players as well as assisting in securing quality coaching framework for the future sustainability of the game. I am delighted to have him as part of our small and ambitious team,” Harradine said.

“Jonty's appointment comes with great anticipation for the Swedish Cricket Federation," added Zalmay Daftani, chairman of the board of the SCF.

"Our goals are to provide a transparent and sustainable platform for our young and talented players and present Sweden as a highly performing competitor within the international arena."