Five-time Indian Premier League champions Chennai Super Kings are set to strengthen their support staff ahead of the 2026 season by appointing former England wicketkeeper-batter James Foster as the team’s fielding coach.
The 45-year-old is expected to work under long-time head coach Stephen Fleming as the franchise looks to rebuild after a disappointing campaign in the previous edition of the Indian Premier League.
According to reports, Foster is likely to join the CSK setup later this month as the franchise begins preparations for the 2026 season. The move comes after the team finished at the bottom of the table in IPL 2025, managing only four wins from 14 matches.
With a reputation for maintaining high standards in the field, CSK’s management believes Foster’s expertise could help improve the side’s overall performance.
Foster enjoyed a respectable international career with the England cricket team between 2001 and 2009. During that period, he represented England in seven Test matches, 11 One-Day Internationals, and five T20 Internationals.
Known for his sharp wicketkeeping skills and cricketing intelligence, Foster later transitioned into coaching and built an impressive résumé across various franchise leagues around the world.
Before joining CSK, Foster served as the fielding coach of the Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL. He has also worked with several prominent T20 franchises, including Desert Vipers in the ILT20, Northern Superchargers in The Hundred, and Peshawar Zalmi in the Pakistan Super League.
His experience across different leagues has helped him develop a reputation as a specialist fielding coach capable of improving team standards.
At CSK, Foster will join an experienced coaching group led by Fleming. The support staff already includes former Australian batter Mike Hussey as batting coach and former South Africa international Eric Simons as bowling coach.
Additionally, Sridharan Sriram serves as assistant bowling coach, while Rajiv Kumar continues to handle fielding responsibilities. Russell Radhakrishnan manages the team operations.
CSK have already begun their pre-season preparations with a training camp at the franchise’s high-performance centre in Chennai, where MS Dhoni starts training alongside several Indian players as the team begins its build-up to the new season.
The franchise is determined to bounce back strongly after its struggles last year. As part of their rebuilding strategy, CSK have also been active in the transfer market and recently made headlines with a high-profile trade involving Sanju Samson, signalling their intent to reshape the squad.
