Vinay Kumar named head coach of Karnataka senior men's team for 2026-27

The Karnataka State Cricket Association has confirmed Vinay Kumar as head coach of the Karnataka senior men's cricket team for the 2026-27 domestic season. The announcement was made on Thursday, August 13, with the KSCA confirming that all coaching appointments across its men's and women's programmes for the season were made on the recommendations of the Cricket Advisory Committee.

Vinay Kumar arrives in the role with a record that few Karnataka cricketers can match. He holds the distinction of being the highest wicket-taker among pace bowlers in Ranji Trophy history, having claimed 442 wickets across his first-class career in the competition. That body of work places him among the most experienced figures in Karnataka's domestic cricket history.

Deepak Chougule, a former Karnataka batter, has been confirmed as the fielding coach of the senior men's side, completing the core support staff for the 2026-27 campaign.

Vinay Kumar's credentials as a player span both domestic and international cricket. He captained Karnataka through one of the most successful periods in the state's history, leading the side to a domestic treble that included the Vijay Hazare Trophy, the Ranji Trophy and the Irani Cup across the 2013 to 2015 period.

At the international level, Vinay represented India in one Test match and 31 One Day Internationals. His IPL career also brought him two title-winning seasons: with Kolkata Knight Riders in 2014 and with Mumbai Indians in both 2015 and 2017. That combination of captaincy experience, domestic record and exposure to high-pressure franchise cricket gives him a broad foundation for the head coach position.

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Beyond the senior men's setup, the KSCA has confirmed a full set of coaching appointments across its women's and age-group programmes for 2026-27. S N Ameet has been appointed to lead both the senior women's team and the Under-23 women's team as head coach, while Rakshitha Krishnappa takes on the role of fielding coach for the senior women's side.

For the men's age-group teams, Ganesh Satish has been appointed as head coach. The appointments across all programmes follow the CAC's recommendations and cover the full breadth of Karnataka's domestic cricket structure heading into the new season.