Ryan ten Doeschate has been appointed as the head of cricket strategy for the Knight Riders Group, marking a significant return to the organization. In this long-term role, the 46-year-old former Netherlands captain will oversee the strategic direction for scouting, player recruitment, squad planning, and performance evaluation for the group's four global teams: Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the IPL, Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) in the CPL, Abu Dhabi Knight Riders (ADKR) in the ILT20, and Los Angeles Knight Riders (LAKR) in MLC. Additionally, he will serve as an assistant coach for TKR, ADKR, and LAKR.
This appointment follows his recent departure from the India men's national team, where he served as an assistant coach for two years. Ten Doeschate’s first assignment in his new capacity will be with TKR for the CPL 2026 season, which begins on August 7. Expressing his enthusiasm for the move, ten Doeschate noted that the role provides a unique opportunity to collaborate with coaching and analytics teams across the global franchises to strengthen player development and long-term strategy.
Ten Doeschate’s history with the Knight Riders dates back to his time as a player for KKR in 2011. He was part of their championship-winning squads in 2012 and 2014, and later transitioned into the coaching setup between 2022 and 2024. During that period, the franchise secured their third IPL title under the guidance of mentor Gautam Gambhir, head coach Chandrakant Pandit, and captain Shreyas Iyer. Following the IPL 2024 victory, ten Doeschate joined Gambhir’s support staff for the India team.
Group CEO Venky Mysore welcomed the return, highlighting ten Doeschate's deep understanding of the franchise's philosophy and his extensive experience in international cricket. Within the IPL structure, ten Doeschate will reunite with KKR head coach Abhishek Nayar, with whom he has worked previously at both the franchise and international levels. Other senior members of the current coaching lineup include Shane Watson and Dwayne Bravo, the latter of whom also serves as the head coach for LAKR. The Knight Riders teams have seen varied success, with TKR holding five CPL titles, LAKR winning their maiden MLC trophy this month, and KKR continuing their quest for further IPL success.
