Chennai Super Kings appoint James Foster as fielding coach ahead of IPL 2026
James Foster (Source: Getty Images)
Published - 16 Mar 2026, 07:12 PM• Read time - 2 mins
Former England wicketkeeper-batter James Foster has been appointed as the fielding coach of Chennai Super Kings (CSK). He will work in tandem with head coach Stephen Fleming, batting coach Michael Hussey, and bowling coach Eric Simmons.
Foster, 45, has a rich vein of coaching experience, having led Desert Vipers to the ILT20 2025-26 title win as head coach. He was recently announced as the assistant coach of Birmingham Phoenix and has worked previously as part of England and New Zealand's coaching staff.
Foster was also involved with Northern Superchargers as head coach during the second edition of the Men's Hundred in 2022 after replacing Darren Lehmann. His contract was not renewed in the 2023 season.
He played seven Tests, 11 ODIs, and five T20Is for the Three Lions, taking 33 catches and affecting 11 stumpings as a wicketkeeper. He made his England debut in an ODI game against Zimbabwe on October 3, 2001. His last international appearance (T20I) came against West Indies at the Oval on June 15, 2009.
This is not the first time Foster will be involved with a franchise in the IPL. He previously served as a fielding and assistant coach of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).
Meanwhile, CSK would look to bounce back strongly after a forgettable 2025 season where they finished at the bottom with just four wins and 10 losses in 14 games, accumulating only eight points in the process.
They have acquired the services of wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson as part of a player trade with Rajasthan Royals. Samson was adjudged the Player of the Tournament at the recently concluded ICC Men's T20 World Cup.
CSK's squad for IPL 2026
Ruturaj Gaikwad, Dewald Brevis, Ayush Mhatre, Matthew Short, Sarfaraz Khan, Shivam Dube, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Jamie Overton, Anshul Kamboj, Zakary Foulkes, MS Dhoni, Urvil Patel, Sanju Samson, Kartik Sharma, Shreyas Gopal, Khaleel Ahmed, Nathan Ellis, Gurjapneet Singh, Mukesh Choudhary, Noor Ahmad, Prashant Veer, Akeal Hosein, Matt Henry, Rahul Chahar
