Chennai Super Kings are clearly wasting no time ahead of IPL 2026. After a season to forget, the five-time champions are rebuilding from the ground up. As a result, their latest step brings a new face into the coaching setup.
Former England wicketkeeper James Foster is joining CSK as their fielding coach. CSK CEO Kasi Viswanathan has already confirmed this news. “We have been looking for a fielding coach. I am hopeful he will join us,” he told Cricbuzz. Furthermore, Foster will likely join the squad later this month.
Who Is James Foster?
Foster, now 45, played international cricket for England between 2001 and 2009. During that period, he featured in seven Tests, 11 ODIs, and five T20Is. Although his playing career at the top level was short, he quickly built a strong reputation as a fielding coach. For instance, he worked with the Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL.
He also coached Desert Vipers in the ILT20, Northern Superchargers in The Hundred, and Peshawar Zalmi in the Pakistan Super League. Therefore, his wide experience across leagues and conditions makes him a smart addition to CSK’s staff.
A Strong Support Team Already in Place
At CSK, Foster will join a well-established group of coaches. Stephen Fleming continues as head coach. In addition, Mike Hussey handles batting, while Eric Simons leads the bowling unit. Sridharan Sriram assists with bowling, and Rajiv Kumar already works in the fielding department. Together, they form a solid support system around the players.
CSK had a rough IPL 2025 campaign. Specifically, they won just four of 14 matches and finished at the bottom of the table. Consequently, the franchise identified fielding as one area needing urgent attention. So, bringing in a specialist like Foster shows that CSK are serious about fixing their weaknesses.
Camp Has Already Begun
The pre-season camp is already running at CSK’s high-performance centre in Chennai. MS Dhoni and Ayush Mhatre are among the early attendees. Meanwhile, Sanju Samson and Shivam Dube will join the group after March 8, once their international commitments end.
Finally, CSK also completed a major trade before the season. They brought Sanju Samson in from Rajasthan Royals, sending Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran in return. Overall, with fresh talent arriving and the coaching staff taking shape, CSK look ready to push hard for a return to the top.
