NEW DELHI: Former New Zealand captain Kane Williamson has been roped in as Lucknow Super Giants' Strategic Advisor ahead of IPL 2026, confirmed franchise owner Sanjiv Goenka on Thursday.

"Kane has been a part of the Super Giants family and it's an absolute delight to welcome him in his new role as Strategic Advisor for @LucknowIPL. His leadership, strategic insight, deep understanding of the game, and ability to inspire players make him an invaluable addition to the team," Goenka posted on X.

After finishing seventh in the 2025 IPL season, LSG are aiming for a rebuild despite having some of the biggest names in world cricket, including Rishabh Pant, who became the highest-paid player in IPL history with a Rs 27 crore deal at the auction.

At 35, Williamson remains an active international player but chose to step away from New Zealand's central contract to pursue franchise opportunities. Over his distinguished career, he has amassed 9,276 runs in 105 Tests and 7,236 runs in 173 ODIs, earning a reputation for both consistency and composure at the crease.

Williamson has had a distinguished IPL career, spanning 10 seasons from 2015 to 2024. He enjoyed his most prolific year in 2018, claiming the Orange Cap with 735 runs for Sunrisers Hyderabad.

He represented SRH until 2022, even captaining the side, before being acquired by Gujarat Titans in 2023. However, injuries limited his game time, restricting him to just one match that season.

In 2024, he appeared in only two games. Ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction, Williamson went unsold, marking a pause in his IPL journey as a player.

At Lucknow, he will work closely with head coach Justin Langer to shape the team's cricketing strategy and blueprint, providing guidance both on and off the field.