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Former New Zealand cricketer Tim Southee has been named the Kolkata Knight Riders' (KKR) bowling coach for the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) campaign. The 36-year-old recently served as a bowling consultant for the England men's Test team, and will replace Bharat Arun in the three-time champions' coaching setup following his departure to the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) during the off-season.
KKR have completely overhauled their coaching staff after naming Abhishek Nayar as the new head coach, as Chandrakant Pandit was relieved of his duties after the 2025 season. Former Australia all-rounder Shane Watson was recently named as the new assistant coach, while former West Indies international Dwayne Bravo remains as the franchise mentor.
KKR formally announced Southee's appointment as the new bowling coach on Friday, November 14, with a statement on their website and social media handles.
“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 for our young bowlers," KKR CEO Venky Mysore told kkr.in. “KKR has always felt like home to me, and it’s an honour to return in this new role. The franchise has an incredible culture, passionate fans, and a great group of players. I look forward to working closely with the bowlers and helping the team achieve success in IPL 2026," Tim Southee said.Tim Southee announced his retirement from international cricket, but continues to be an active player in franchise cricket. He last featured as a player in the 2025 Hundred for the Birmingham Phoenix, where he picked up three wickets in six matches at an average of 55.00.
Tim Southee represented KKR from 2021 to 2023 in the IPL
KKR happens to be one of the five franchises that Southee represented over the course of his IPL career. Featuring for the three-time winners across three seasons from 2021 to 2023, he picked up 19 wickets in 14 matches at an average of 23.63 and an economy rate of 8.47.
Returning to the franchise in a coaching capacity, he has an opportunity to work with some talented local pacers like Harshit Rana and Vaibhav Arora, among others, as well as the expected incomings after the IPL 2026 Auction.
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Edited by Gokul Nair
English (US)