The Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are poised to appoint Abhishek Nayar as their head coach for the upcoming season, according to a report. It has been claimed that Nayar was informed of the franchise's decision last week, with a formal announcement now imminent. Nayar, the former Mumbai all-rounder, has a long-standing history with KKR. He had worked with the team previously, notably becoming their key figure behind the scenes, responsible for grooming players within the academy setup. Nayar was also in the KKR backroom staff as assistant coach when mentor Gautam Gambhir guided the team to the IPL 2024 title.
The news of Nayar's promotion within the franchise was confirmed by a report in the Indian Express. KKR's offer of promotion for the former India batter comes after the franchise parted ways with their previous head coach, Chandrakant Pandit. KKR had a forgettable IPL 2025 season, failing to qualify for the play-offs after managing only five wins from 14 league matches.
The 42-year-old taking the top job is no surprise. After being sacked as Team India's assistant coach, Nayar quickly returned to KKR and joined the franchise's support staff.
Earlier this year, Nayar also took on the head coach role for the Women's Premier League (WPL) franchise UP Warriorz. It will be interesting to see if he will continue to hold head coaching positions with two different franchises in separate leagues simultaneously.
Abhishek Nayar: The Man Behind Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul's Resurgence
Nayar is widely respected for his analytical mindset and his ability to draw out elite performances from individual players. He has recently been working with his old friend, Rohit Sharma, helping the Indian skipper undergo a significant physical transformation, including shedding about 11 kilograms. Other players, such as KL Rahul, have also publicly credited him for improvements in their game.
Nayar has been working as a pundit for JioHotstar since the start of India's tour of Australia. The former Indian batter shared his expert analysis, especially surrounding Rohit and his improved fitness.