Ryan ten Doeschate joins KKR in a new role a day after he quit the Indian coaching staff
Ryan ten Doeschate didn’t stay away from coaching long. Barely 24 hours after stepping down as India’s assistant coach, the former Dutch all-rounder returned to familiar territory and rejoined the Knight Riders family in a newly created global leadership role.
Knight Riders Sports announced on Wednesday 29 July that Ten Doeschate has been appointed as its Head of Cricket Strategy, a position that will see him oversee cricket operations across the franchise’s growing global network while returning to on-field coaching duties with three overseas teams.
The appointment comes a day after it was reported by India Today Ten Doeschate has stepped down as India’s assistant coachalthough the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) offered him an extension till 2027.
“We are delighted to welcome Tendo back to the Knight Riders family. His deep understanding of our philosophy combined with his experience in franchise and international cricket makes him ideal for this role. He will help shape the next phase of growth across the Knight Riders ecosystem,” said Knight Riders Sports CEO Venky Mysore.
Ten Doeschate, who spent two years with the Indian men’s team under Gautam Gambhir, said the opportunity to work across multiple franchises and build long-term cricketing structures was a key attraction.
“I am excited to be back with the Knight Riders in this role. It is a unique opportunity to work with the coaching and analytics teams across our global franchises to strengthen our scouting/player development systems and build a long-term cricket strategy.”
TEN DOESCHATE RETURNS TO KKR
The move marks a homecoming for Ten Doeschate, whose association with Kolkata Knight Riders spans over a decade. He joined KKR as a player in 2011 and was instrumental in the franchise’s 2012 and 2014 IPL title campaigns.
After retirement, he returned as part of the coaching staff in 2022 and was part of the support group that helped KKR lift their third IPL title in 2024 under Gambhir. His new assignment significantly expands these responsibilities.
As Head of Cricket Strategy, Ten Doeschate will lead scouting, player recruitment, team planning and performance evaluation across Knight Riders’ global franchises. He will also serve as an assistant coach for Trinbago Knight Riders in the Caribbean Premier League, Abu Dhabi Knight Riders in the ILT20 and Los Angeles Knight Riders in Major League Cricket.
END OF INDIA STINT
Ten Doeschate’s return to the Knight Riders set-up follows a successful, if relatively short, spell with the Indian team.
He joined the national team in July 2024 after Gambhir took over as head coach following India’s T20 World Cup triumph. Working alongside bowling coach Morne Morkel, Ten Doeschate played a multi-dimensional role, contributing to batting preparation, fielding practice and tactical planning.
India won the 2025 Asia Cup and retained the 2026 T20 World Cup during his tenure, although the Test side endured mixed fortunes.
India Today understands that the BCCI wanted Ten Doeschate to continue until 2027, but the 45-year-old turned down the offer for personal reasons, preferring to spend more time with his young family after two demanding years on the international circuit.
An earlier report by PTI also suggested that the former all-rounder was frustrated by the lack of a clearly defined coaching portfolio and had initially expected to move into the role of specialist field coach.
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Issued by:
Debodinna Chakraborty
Published on:
Jul 29, 2026 10:04 AM IST