EX-KKR coach joins CSK in new role ahead of IPL 2026

Former England wicket-keeper James Foster, who featured for India between 2001 and 2009, has been appointed as the fielding coach for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK). He will be seen coaching under former CSK head coach Stephen Fleming.

Five-time IPL champions Chennai Super Kings have always loved to stick to their old hats, be they players or even the coaches. They have the likes of Stephen Fleming and Michael Hussey as their coaches in the IPL, who have been associated with the franchise for years.

The CSK team will kickstart their campaign on the 30th of March against the Rajasthan Royals in Guwahati. They would continue their campaign against the Punjab Kings on the 3rd of April, with their next few games scheduled against RCB and the Delhi Capitals. These are the four games for them in the season schedule that have been announced until now.

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James Foster appointed CSK's fielding coach for IPL 2026

Foster, the former English wicket-keeper, played 23 matches for England across formats between 2001 and 2009, but despite a short career as a player, his contributions to the game as a coach have been extensive.

James Foster, who won 23 caps across formats as England wicketkeeper between 2001 and 2009, has coached extensively in franchise cricket since he called time on his playing career in 2018

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— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) March 16, 2026

He called time on his playing career not long ago, but ever since he did that in 2018, he has been a known name among franchise leagues around the world. He won the ILT20 as the head coach of the Desert Vipers in January 2026 and was named the assistant coach of the Birmingham Phoenix in the Men's Hundred.

Foster to work under Stephen Fleming at CSK

The CSK coaching team is led by head coach Stephen Fleming, who has been part of this setup since 2009, the second season of the IPL. James Foster, as the fielding coach, would have to work under the wing of the former Kiwi cricketer.

Former CSK and MI batter Michael Hussey is the batting coach in the CSK unit, and Eric Simmons took over as the bowling coach. Foster would also get the chance to work closely with one of the world's greatest wicket-keepers, MS Dhoni, who is, by the way, the same age as the new coach.

Hopefully, both Dhoni and Foster could join hands to enlighten Sanju Samson with more tips, which would help him to emerge as an even better wicket-keeper, alongside being the stunning batter he is. CSK finished last in the previous edition of the IPL.

Did James Foster coach in the IPL before?

Speaking of the highly successful English coach who has been associated with coaching teams across the world, it is worth mentioning that he has served formerly as an international coach as well. As per ESPNCricinfo, he has held positions in the coaching unit of international teams like England and New Zealand.

After announcing his retirement in 2018, he was first appointed as a batting consultant for the English county side Glamorgan in the 2019 T20 Blast. His major international projects came with the Khulna Tigers in the BPL and the Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL.

In PSL 2022, he replaced West Indies legend Darren Sammy as the head coach of Peshawar Zalmi. In the same year, he also served as the assistant coach of the Kolkata Knight Riders. This was his final stint as a coach in the IPL before he makes his way back to the prestigious tournament in 2026.

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