Overview
- Kolkata Knight Riders confirmed the appointment on November 13, with Shane Watson to work as deputy to newly appointed head coach Abhishek Nayar.
- The addition extends a coaching reshuffle after a disappointing 2025 season, with Nayar elevated to head coach and Dwayne Bravo continuing as mentor.
- Immediate priorities for Watson include advising on player retentions before the November 15 deadline and shaping plans for the mid-December mini-auction in Abu Dhabi.
- CEO Venky Mysore praised Watson’s top-tier T20 acumen, while Watson said he was honored to join KKR and eager to contribute on and off the field.
- Watson brings extensive credentials: 59 Tests, 190 ODIs and 58 T20Is for Australia, plus a 145‑match IPL career with 3,874 runs, 92 wickets and four centuries, along with coaching stints at Delhi Capitals and in Major League Cricket.