Shane Watson is joining KKR as a helper coach

KKR Staff: Shane Watson is joining KKR as a helper coach

IPL 2026: Kolkata Knight Riders have announced the appointment of Shane Watson as the Assistant Coach for the upcoming Indian Premier League 2026. The former Australian all-rounder brings a good international experience, leadership, and a deep understanding of modern-day franchise cricket.

Former Aussie allrounder Shane Watson has been named assistant coach of Kolkata Knight Riders ahead of IPL 2026. He joins a revamped support staff featuring Abhishek Nayar as head coach and Dwayne Bravo as mentor.

Watson and ex-New Zealand pacer Tim Southee are the latest additions to the KKR think tank, following a major shake-up after the team’s 7th-place finish in IPL 2025. Southee, who’s been balancing franchise cricket with a consultant role for England, brings fresh experience to the setup.

“It’s a great honour to be part of a franchise as iconic as KKR,” Watson said. “I’ve always admired the passion of KKR fans and the team’s commitment to excellence.”

This will be Watson’s second IPL coaching stint after assisting Ricky Ponting at Delhi Capitals in 2022 and 2023. He recently stepped down as head coach of the San Francisco Unicorns in Major League Cricket to focus on other commitments, including broadcasting.

As a player, Watson was a T20 superstar winning titles in the IPL, BBL, and PSL. He was the MVP in Rajasthan Royals’ 2008 title run and later starred for CSK, smashing a century in the 2018 final. He also had stints with RCB in 2016 and 2017.