Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have appointed former England wicketkeeper-batsman James Foster as their new fielding coach ahead of IPL 2026, bolstering their support staff as the five-time champions look to bounce back from a disappointing 2025 season.
Foster, 45, will work under long-time head coach Stephen Fleming, alongside batting coach Michael Hussey and bowling coach Eric Simons. The appointment was confirmed on Monday as CSK continued their preparations for the new campaign.
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“Say Yell to our outfield coach James Foster! A former England keeper and coach with experience across teams all over the world, he now begins this new chapter with the Pride,” CSK said in a social media post.
Foster brings considerable experience as both a player and a coach. During his international career, he represented England in seven Tests, 11 ODIs and five T20Is between 2001 and 2009. While he was known as a reliable wicketkeeper, it is his growing coaching pedigree in franchise cricket that made him an attractive prospect for CSK.
Prior to joining CSK, Foster had built a strong reputation across the T20 leagues. He previously worked with Kolkata Knight Riders as an assistant and fielding coach and also held coaching roles with Desert Vipers in the ILT20, Northern Superchargers in The Hundred and Peshawar Zalmi in the PSL. He was recently appointed assistant coach of Birmingham Phoenix for the upcoming edition of The Hundred.
CSK LOOK AT THE REBOUND
Chennai Super Kings suffered their weakest IPL season in 2025 e.gfor the first time in the history of the tournament, they finished at the bottom of the table. The five-time champions finished 10th in the league stage with just four wins in 14 games, managing eight points and a -0.647 clean sheet.
Even a commanding 83-run win over Gujarat Titans in their last league match was not enough to get them off the bottom of the standings, with Rajasthan Royals staying above them on sheer run-rate. It was a remarkable slump for one of the most successful and consistent franchises of the IPL, which has never finished last in any edition.
CSK will now look to turn the page when they open their IPL 2026 campaign with an away match against Rajasthan Royals in Guwahati on March 30 before returning to Chepauk for their first home match against Punjab Kings on April 4.
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Issued by:
sabyasachi chowdhury
Published on:
16 Mar 2026 23:09 IST
