Ryan ten Doeschate has rejoined the Knight Riders organisation after stepping down as India’s men’s assistant coach, taking up a newly created role as Head of Cricket Strategy at Knight Riders Sports.
The former Dutch all‑rounder will be responsible for cricket strategy, talent identification, player recruitment and long‑term development across the Knight Riders’ global franchise network.
Ryan ten Doeschate to lead global cricket operations
Knight Riders Sports confirmed on Tuesday that ten Doeschate will head scouting, squad planning and performance evaluation across its franchises, working closely with coaching and analytics teams to build a unified cricketing philosophy.
In addition to his strategic duties, the 46‑year‑old will also act as assistant coach for Trinbago Knight Riders in the Caribbean Premier League, Abu Dubai Knight Riders in the ILT20 and Los Angeles Knight Riders in Major League Cricket.
Knight Riders Sports CEO Venky Mysore welcomed ten Doeschate’s return to the organisation.
“We are delighted to welcome Tendo back to the Knight Riders family. His deep understanding of our philosophy, combined with his experience across franchise and international cricket, makes him ideally suited for this role. He will help shape the next phase of growth across the Knight Riders ecosystem,” Mysore said.
A unique opportunity: ten Doeschate
Speaking after his appointment, ten Doeschate said he looked forward to strengthening the franchise’s scouting and player‑development systems.
“I’m excited to be back with the Knight Riders in this role. This is a unique opportunity to work with the coaching and analytics teams across our global franchises to strengthen our scouting and player development systems, and to build a long‑term cricket strategy,” he said.
End of India coaching stint
The appointment follows ten Doeschate’s resignation from the role of India’s assistant coach after the white‑ball tour of England, where the side lost the T20I series 4‑0 and the ODI series 2‑1.
He had joined the Indian support staff in 2024 when Gautam Gambhir became head coach after Rahul Dravid’s departure, taking charge of batting and fielding.
During his tenure, India won the 2025 Asia Cup and defended the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in 2026. The Test side, however, struggled, suffering a Border‑Gavaskar Trophy defeat in Australia and home losses to New Zealand (0‑3) and South Africa (0‑2).
Long association with Kolkata Knight Riders
Ten Doeschate’s link with the Knight Riders dates back to 2011 when he joined Kolkata Knight Riders as a player.
He was part of the franchise’s IPL‑winning squads in 2012 and 2014 before moving into coaching. He later served on KKR’s coaching staff during the 2022 season and helped the side secure its third IPL title in 2024.
The new appointment extends his involvement beyond Kolkata, positioning him to shape cricket operations across the Knight Riders’ expanding multi‑team ecosystem worldwide.
