2 min readUpdated: Mar 17, 2026 10:08 AM IST
The Chennai Super Kings have announced the appointment of James Foster as their new fielding coach for IPL 2026. Foster, a former wicketkeeper for England and one of the sport’s most respected coaches, is part of a substantial reconstruction of CSK coaching staff following a disappointing IPL campaign last year.
As part of the structure established by CSK’s head coach Stephen Fleming, Foster will provide a wide experience and knowledge to one of the most successful franchises. He is also an established and respected coach, having worked with England from 2001-2009 and New Zealand since then.
Most recently, the 45-year-old was the coach of the Desert Vipers, leading them to victory in the ILT20 tournament held in Dubai and recently also named as assistant coach for Birmingham Phoenix in the Hundred. He has also had a varied coaching career, both as head coach and assistant coach for multiple franchises.
Foster was previously part of the Kolkata Knight Riders’ coaching staff between 2020 and 2023. He was part of the setup that powered them to the final in 2021, the season that was forced into a lengthy break haflway through due to the Covid-19 pandemic in India. KKR had a remarkable change in fortunes after the resumption of the season and eventually lost to CSK in the final.
At CSK, Foster will join a coaching group that already includes batting coach Michael Hussey and bowling coach Eric Simons. One of the key areas in which he will provide coaching support is by working with wicketkeepers, including the legendary MS Dhoni, as well as with new-signing wicketkeeper Sanju Samson, who had a tremendous T20 World Cup this year.
With a view to improving their fielding standards, the Super Kings are hoping to benefit from the additions they have made to the squad this season and they fare better than they did last year, which saw them end the season bottom of the table after only 4 wins out of 14 games. Their 2026 IPL season opens against the Rajasthan Royals on March 30 in Guwahati.
