Chennai, March 4 – Five-time champions Chennai Super Kings are set to appoint former England wicketkeeper-batsman James Foster as their fielding coach ahead of the 2026 IPL season, further strengthening their backroom staff under head coach Stephen Fleming.
Foster, 45, represented England in seven Tests, 11 ODIs, and five T20Is between 2001 and 2009. Widely respected for his wicketkeeping skills, he has built a strong reputation as a coach in franchise cricket around the world.
Confirming the development, CSK CEO Kasi Viswanathan said, "We have been looking for a fielding coach. I am hopeful he will join us," as quoted by Cricbuzz.
Foster brings significant experience from various T20 leagues. He has previously served as a fielding coach with Kolkata Knight Riders and has also worked with Desert Vipers in the ILT20, Northern Superchargers in The Hundred, and Peshawar Zalmi in the Pakistan Super League (PSL).
At CSK, Foster will join an established support staff that includes batting coach Mike Hussey, bowling coach Eric Simons, assistant bowling coach Sridharan Sriram, and fielding coach Rajiv Kumar. Russell Radhakrishnan continues as team manager.
The move comes after a disappointing 2025 IPL campaign in which CSK finished at the bottom of the points table, managing only four wins in 14 matches. The franchise has already begun its pre-season camp at its high-performance centre in Chennai, with several Indian players training.
Veteran wicketkeeper MS Dhoni is among those present at the camp, while players on international duty are expected to join later.
CSK had earlier made headlines with a high-profile trade involving Sanju Samson, as the franchise looks to rebuild and mount a strong comeback in IPL 2026.
CSK has also roped in youngsters like Prashant Veer and Karthik Sharma while leaving their stalwart player Ravindra Jadeja. Ruturaj Gaikwad will continue to lead the team as they aim for their record sixth title.
