Overview
- Reports on Thursday, August 6 say R Vinay Kumar is set to take charge as Karnataka's head coach after a Cricket Administrative Committee review and with formal ratification by the KSCA managing committee still pending.
- He will replace Yere Goud, who has moved to a coaching role at the BCCI Centre of Excellence.
- Vinay is expected to work with Deepak Chougule as fielding coach while current bowling coach Mansur Ali Khan is likely to remain, and he has already begun sessions and planned a pre-season camp at M Chinnaswamy Stadium.
- Vinay captained Karnataka to back-to-back Ranji Trophy and Vijay Hazare titles in 2013–14 and 2014–15 and, since retiring in 2021, has worked as a commentator, Mumbai Indians talent scout and MI Emirates bowling coach.
- Karnataka enter the 2026-27 Ranji season in Elite Group B with a young, transitional squad and Vinay's appointment is framed as an effort to restore the state side to domestic title contention, though contract terms and the claim he will be the KSCA's highest-paid coach remain unconfirmed.