Kolkata Knight Riders on Friday announced the appointment of New Zealand star Tim Southee as the team’s bowling coach for the upcoming 2026 Indian Premier League season. He represents the ongoing revamp of KKR’s backroom staff. Two weeks ago, the franchise announced Abhishek Nayar as the new head coach of the team, succeeding Chandrakant Pandit after the conclusion of the IPL 2025 campaign. Interestingly, Nayar is also the head coach of the UP Warriorz for the upcoming Women’s Super League season. KKR followed this up by confirming the appointment of Shane Watson as assistant coach.
One of the most accomplished fast bowlers of his generation, Southee has been a cornerstone of New Zealand cricket for over 15 years. Having represented his country in over 100 Test matches, 150+ ODIs, and 120+ T20 Internationals, Southee has taken over 700 international wickets across formats. He has captained New Zealand in multiple formats and played a pivotal role in the 2019 ICC World Cup campaign and 2021 ICC World Test Championship triumph.
Southee was part of the Kolkata Knight Riders team (2021, 2022, 2023) in the IPL during his playing career. “KKR has always felt like home and I am honored to be back in this new role. The franchise has an amazing culture, passionate fans and a great line-up of players. I look forward to working closely with the bowlers and helping the team achieve success in IPL 2026,” Southee said in a statement.
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Speaking about the appointment, Kolkata Knight Riders CEO Venky Mysore said: “We are delighted to welcome Tim Southee back to the KKR family, this time in a coaching capacity. Tim’s vast experience and technical expertise will be instrumental in shaping our bowling unit. His leadership qualities and calm approach make him an ideal mentor to our young bowlers.”
Earlier, Watson said in a statement: “It is a great honor to be part of an iconic franchise like Kolkata Knight Riders. I have always admired the passion of the KKR fans and the team’s commitment to excellence. I am excited to work closely with the coaching group and players to help bring another title to Kolkata.”
(Tags for translation) KKR
