Shane Watson appointed as assistant head coach of KKR : A new Knight in shining armour.

Shane Watson, the Australian talisman and two time world cup winner has been appointed the assistant head coach of the Kolkata Knight riders ahead of the IPL 2026. The announcement comes a couple of months after Abhishek Nayar was appointed the head coach. The bench of KKR has been further strengthened by the arrival of Watson. 

Watson, who played two outstanding knocks in the 2018 and 2019 IPL final for CSK has been an IPL great himself as he has not only scored more than 3000 runs but also taken 92 wickets as well at a shrewd average.

We are thrilled to welcome Shane Watson to the KKR family. His experience as a player and coach at the highest level will add immense value to our team culture and preparation. His understanding of the T20 format is world-class, and we look forward to his contributions both on and off the field," KKR CEO Venky Mysore was quoted saying.

Watto, as he is fondly called around the cricketing world, was also happy on joining the franchise."It's a great honour to be part of a franchise as iconic as Kolkata Knight Riders. I've always admired the passion of KKR fans and the team's commitment to excellence. I'm eager to work closely with the coaching group and players to help bring another title to Kolkata."

With Dwayne Bravo being the mentor and now Watson joining Abhishek Nayar,  KKR would want their 2026 season to be a fruitful one as compared to the last season, where they finished 8th on the points table. With rumours of KL Rahul joining them and a handful of other players, the franchise would want to make an impact from the auction table straight away.