Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have appointed New Zealand pacer Tim Southee as their new bowling coach ahead of the IPL 2026 season.  Southee, who remains active in franchise cricket, recently worked as a bowling consultant with the England team during their summer schedule. Southee will replace Bharat Arun, who has now moved to Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) for the upcoming season. The 36-year-old will now work alongside head coach Abhishek Nayar, assistant coach Shane Watson, and mentor Dwayne Bravo to revamp KKR’s bowling attack, which struggled last season as the franchise finished seventh on the points table.

Recently, KKR announced former Australian all-rounder Shane Watson as their new assistant coach ahead of the IPL 2026 season. Shortly after Watson’s appointment as the assistant coach of Kolkata Knight Riders, the franchise’s CEO, Venky Mysore, took centre stage and opened up on the appointment. “We are thrilled to welcome Shane Watson to the KKR family. His experience as a player and coach at the highest level will add immense value to our team culture and preparation. His understanding of the T20 format is world-class, and we look forward to his contributions both on and off the field,” Mysore said in an official statement. Furthermore, Shane Watson also talked about his appointment, revealing how big an honour it is for him to be a part of a franchise like KKR. “It’s a great honour to be part of a franchise as iconic as Kolkata Knight Riders. I’ve always admired the passion of KKR fans and the team’s commitment to excellence. I’m eager to work closely with the coaching group and players to help bring another title to Kolkata,” Watson said.