Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have appointed former Australian all-rounder Shane Watson as their assistant coach ahead of IPL 2026.
The three-time IPL champions confirmed his inclusion in the new coaching setup on Thursday.
Watson had earlier served as assistant coach for Delhi Capitals in the 2022 and 2023 IPL seasons under Ricky Ponting.
He will now be part of the KKR coaching unit, led by Abhishek Nayar, with Dwayne Bravo as his mentor.
He will give inputs on player retentions before the November 15 deadline. Shane Watson will also help prepare for the mini auction in Abu Dhabi in mid-December.
Watson said in his statement that he was honoured to be associated with an iconic franchise like KKR.
He praised the passion of KKR fans and the team’s pursuit of excellence.
Shane Watson also expressed excitement to work with the coaching group and players to help the team add another title to its tally.
Cricket experts regard Watson as one of the most successful seam-bowling all-rounders in modern cricket.
He represented Australia in 59 Tests, 190 ODIs, and 58 T20Is. Shane Watson scored over 10,000 runs and took more than 280 wickets across formats.
As a two-time ODI World Cup winner (2007, 2015), Watson earned wide admiration for his match-winning performances with both bat and ball.
His IPL career, spanning from 2008 to 2020, was highly decorated.
He played 145 matches, scored four centuries, and was part of title-winning teams with both the Rajasthan Royals and the Chennai Super Kings.
The IPL named him the Most Valuable Player (MVP) in 2008 and 2013.
Welcoming him to the franchise, KKR CEO Venky Mysore said Watson’s presence would bring ‘immense value’ to the team.
Officials highlighted his deep understanding of the T20 format and experience at the highest level as key strengths.
Mysore said Watson’s addition would enhance team culture and preparation both on and off the field.
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