After a disappointing last season where the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) failed to qualify for the playoffs and finished eight in the points table, the three-time champions are reportedly set to make a massive signing for the next Indian Premier League (IPL 2026) season.
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With bowling coach Bharat Arun parting ways with the Shahruk Khan co-owned franchise, Venky Mysore and the KKR management are targetiing to rope in former Proteas pace stalwart Dale Steyn in the role.
The South African was one of the most lethal speedsters in his playing days and also has T20 coaching experience under his belt – mentoring in the IPL and SA20.
He joined Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) before IPL 2022 as a bowling coach and was also associated with their sister franchise in the SA20 – Sunrisers Eastern Cape (SEC).
Steyn however, has now ended his ties with the franchise after exiting from SRH last year and then with SEC after the SA20 2025 season. Under his guidance, the team reached the finals in all three editions of the SA20, clinching the title twice and finishing as runner-up in 2025.
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The outgoing Bharat Arun on the other hand, is expected to join forces with Zaheer Khan at the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) camp for IPL 2026. LSG have a number of young talented pacers in their roster and the duo of Zaheer-Arun can play a pivotal role in guiding the budding talents.
The former India bowling coach, who was appointed by KKR in 2022, was with the franchise for four seasons including their title-winning campaign in 2024. Arun played a key role to turnaround fortunes after a lean 2023 season where KKR finished seventh. He ensured to working towards good stability and team eventually reaped the rewards of it in the very next season.
Given Arun’s plethora of experience of working with stalwarts and young talents alike, he will be crucial to plug the holes from last season like death bowling, which was a major issue for the LSG franchise. While the LSG batters delivered the goods, a lacklustre bowling department cost them a playoffs spot in IPL 2025 and the Sanjiv Goenka co-owned team will count on Arun to make amends.
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