KKR Pacer Vaibhav Arora Eager To Work Under Tim Southee's Mentorship In IPL 2026: 'Learned A Lot From Him'

Ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) season, Kolkata Knight Riders pacer Vaibhav Arora is very keen on refining his game and enhancing his skills to be able to cope with the challenges.

The 28-year-old pacer from Ambala made his KKR debut in 2023 and has already made a mark, taking 36 wickets in 32 matches in his IPL career so far with an impressive strike rate of 17.72. He was also a catalyst in KKR’s triumphant title-winning campaign two years ago, picking up 11 wickets in 10 matches.

As the team is getting ready for the upcoming season, Vaibhav has been putting in a lot of hard work during the training camp, concentrating on improving aspects of his bowling. “Overall, the preparation is solid. We're playing practice matches and also honing our variations in the nets. As a fast bowler, you always want to prepare well and improve your skills so that you can execute them effectively in match situations,” he said.

Arora is very excited to collaborate closely with former teammate Tim Southee, who has taken up the role of the KKR bowling coach this season. The former New Zealand captain brings a wealth of both IPL and international experience, having claimed over 700 international wickets. He also represented KKR for three seasons between 2021 and 2023.

Reflecting on the chance to learn from Southee again, Arora said, “Tim Southee is a legend with tons of experience. We’ve been teammates with KKR before in 2023 and I learned a lot from him then. Now that he’s our bowling coach, I’ll get more time to work with him and learn from his experience to improve my skills. There’s a lot I can learn from him and it’s going to be fun working with him.”

Known for his ability with the new ball, Arora is also looking to expand his repertoire and adapt to the conditions he is likely to face during the season. “As you must have seen at Eden Gardens last year, the new ball swings only for the first three or four overs, maximum. After that there is no swing because of the conditions and the nature of the wicket. So, the variations become very important in those situations,” he explained.

With that in mind, Arora has been working on refining his variations and improving his execution, something that worked well for him during the previous season. Last year we had a bit of success while executing yorkers with the new ball. As a bowler, you must use the ground's dimensions to your advantage and choose deliveries wisely against each batter,” he said.

He also highlighted the importance of pace and control when executing different lengths during a T20 contest. “It’s crucial to have good pace when looking to execute a hard-length delivery and cramp the batters for room. If there’s a bit of help on the wicket, slower balls and slower bouncers become important along with the yorker,” he added.

Looking ahead, Arora said the team’s focus remains on continuing their preparation and being ready for the upcoming phase of training in Kolkata. “Our mindset is focused on going to the next camp in Kolkata and being mentally and physically prepared to give 110% there,” he concluded.

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