Former India fast bowler Vinay Kumar has been appointed as the new head coach of the Karnataka cricket team for the upcoming domestic season. The 42-year-old takes over the role from Yere Goud, with former Karnataka batter Deepak Chougule joining the support staff to serve as the fielding coach.
This appointment marks Vinay's first stint as a head coach for the state side. He brings recent coaching experience to the position, having managed the Hubli Tigers during the Maharaja T20 Trophy. His resume also includes serving as a bowling coach for MI Emirates in the UAE's ILT20 and working as an IPL talent scout for the Mumbai Indians following his retirement from first-class and international cricket in 2021.
Vinay remains a significant figure in Indian domestic cricket, holding the record as the leading wicket-taker among seamers in the Ranji Trophy with 442 strikes, which also ranks him fifth overall in the tournament's history. Throughout his career, he claimed 504 first-class wickets in 139 matches at an impressive average of 22.44. During his playing tenure, he led Karnataka to an unprecedented double-treble, securing the Vijay Hazare Trophy, Ranji Trophy, and Irani Cup between 2013 and 2015.
Beyond his domestic success, Vinay represented India in one Test match and 31 ODIs. He was also a member of two IPL-winning franchises, lifting the trophy with the Kolkata Knight Riders in 2014 and the Mumbai Indians in 2015 and 2017. Karnataka, who finished as runners-up last year, are scheduled to begin their 2026-27 Ranji Trophy campaign against Andhra on October 11.
