New Delhi, Jan 1 (IANS) Nicholas Lee is set to take over as the new strength and conditioning coach of the Indian women’s cricket team. Sources familiar with the matter told IANS that Lee is likely to join the Indian team after the 2026 season of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) is over on February 5 in Vadodara.

“Yes, it’s confirmed that Lee will be the new S&C coach of the Indian women’s cricket team. Australia’s Nathan Kiely was also in talks, but Lee was always in the running for this role. Once WPL is over, Lee will link up with the Indian team,” sources further said.

After the five-team WPL is over, India will play a multi-format series in Australia from February 15 to March 9. The multi-format tour begins with the T20I leg, starting at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) on February 15, followed by games at Manuka Oval, Canberra, and Adelaide Oval on February 19 and 21, respectively.

Focus will then shift to the ODI series, where India enters as World Cup winners. The series will begin at Allan Border Field in Brisbane on February 24. The second and third ODIs will be staged at Hobart’s Bellerive Oval on February 27 and March 1, respectively.

The third ODI match was previously moved to Hobart from Melbourne by Cricket Australia (CA) due to floodlight issues. The tour culminates with a day-night Test at the WACA Ground in Perth, set to take place from March 6–9.

Coming to Lee, he’s an experienced strength and conditioning coach specialising in physical preparation and conditioning in elite sports. His recent assignment was serving as the strength and conditioning coach for the Gulf Giants in season four of the UAE’s ILT20.

Lee previously worked as the strength and conditioning coach of Afghanistan’s men’s team from January 2024 to December 2025, and served as head of physical performance at the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) from March 2020 to January 2024.

Lee was also the strength and conditioning coach of Sri Lanka’s men’s team from October 2016 to March 2020. Before working with international teams, Lee worked as the lead strength and conditioning trainer at Sussex County Cricket Club from March 2012 to September 2016, apart from being in the assistant role from January 2010 to March 2012.

Lee, a graduate of Anglia Ruskin University, played 13 first-class matches as a right-handed batter, amassing 490 runs at 30.62, including three half-centuries and a highest score of 79 not out.

–IANS

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