Southee is a familiar face to the KKR setup, having represented the franchise in the IPL in 2021, 2022 and 2023 seasons. He steps into the role at KKR after his predecessor Bharat Arun joined Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), and will work alongside head coach Abhishek Nayar, mentor Dwayne Bravo and newly-appointed assistant coach Shane Watson.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cKKR has always felt like home to me, and it\u2019s an honour to return in this new role. The franchise has an incredible culture, passionate fans, and a great group of players. I look forward to working closely with the bowlers and helping the team achieve success in IPL 2026,\u201d said Southee in a statement by the franchise.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Southee, regarded as one of the finest fast bowlers of his generation, was a mainstay in the New Zealand set-up for nearly 15 years. With 107 Test appearances, 150 ODIs and 120 T20Is, Southee has taken more than 700 wickets across all three international formats.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Renowned for his swing and accuracy, Southee also captained New Zealand in multiple formats and played key roles in their 2019 Men\u2019s ODI World Cup runners-up finish and the 2021 World Test Championship triumph, before retiring from international cricket in December last year.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Southee, regarded as one of the finest fast bowlers of his generation, was a mainstay in the New Zealand set-up for nearly 15 years. With 107 Test appearances, 150 ODIs and 120 T20Is, Southee has taken more than 700 wickets across all three international formats.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cTim\u2019s vast experience and technical expertise will be instrumental in shaping our bowling unit. His leadership qualities and calm approach make him an ideal mentor for our young bowlers,\u201d said Venky Mysore, KKR CEO.<\/p>\r\n\r\n