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KKR Appoint Shane Watson Assistant Coach Ahead of IPL 2026

The former Australia all-rounder joins to assist new head coach Abhishek Nayar with retention calls before the November 15 deadline.

Overview

  • Kolkata Knight Riders announced the hire on November 13 with CEO Venky Mysore praising Watson’s T20 expertise and Watson calling the role an honour.
  • Watson will work under head coach Abhishek Nayar, contributing to retention decisions this week and preparations for the mid-December mini-auction in Abu Dhabi.
  • The three-time IPL champions position the move as part of a backroom refresh after a disappointing 2025 season.
  • Watson’s playing record spans 59 Tests, 190 ODIs and 58 T20Is for Australia with over 10,000 runs and nearly 300 wickets, plus 145 IPL games yielding 3,874 runs and 92 wickets.
  • His coaching résumé includes assistant roles at Delhi Capitals under Ricky Ponting and stints with Major League Cricket’s San Francisco Unicorns.