Delhi: Before the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on Friday took an important decision and appointed former New Zealand fast bowler Tim Southee as the new bowling coach of the team. Saudi has previously played for KKR in the 2021, 2022 and 2023 seasons.

Tim Southee will replace Bharat Arun

Tim Southee will now replace Bharat Arun as the bowling coach of the team. He will work closely with head coach Abhishek Nair, mentor Dwayne Bravo and recently appointed assistant coach Shane Watson. The team management hopes that Saudi’s experience will prove important in improving the young bowlers.

Saudi was the backbone of New Zealand fast bowling for 15 years

Tim Southee has been the main link of New Zealand’s fast bowling attack for the last 15 years. He played 107 Test, 161 ODI and 126 T20 International matches for New Zealand in his career. Including all formats he took 779 wickets in his name.

On the basis of his swing, accurate line-length and leadership ability, he played an important role in New Zealand’s victory in many important matches. He was an important part of the team during the 2021 ICC World Test Championship win and the 2019 World Cup campaign. Saudi had announced his retirement from international cricket in 2025.

Saudi excited about returning to KKR

Tim Southee expressed happiness over his appointment as bowling coach and said that KKR has always been like family to him. He said that the team culture is great, the fans are very passionate and the group of players is fantastic. He is excited to work with the bowlers to bring success to the team in the upcoming season.

KKR CEO expressed hope

KKR CEO Venky Mysore welcomed Saudi and said that his inclusion in the team will give a new direction to the bowling unit. He said that Saudi’s experience and technical understanding will play an important role in strengthening the team’s performance in IPL 2026.