Rohit Sharma To Kolkata Knight Riders? Mumbai Indians Break Silence With Epic Response

Ahead of the IPL 2026 auction, which is likely to take place in mid-December, franchises will release a list of their retained players by November 15. A rumour has been doing the rounds that Rohit Sharma will be leaving Mumbai Indians for Kolkata Knight Riders. However, on the same day Rohit's close friend Abhishek Nayar—who has also worked with him on his batting—joined KKR as head coach, Mumbai Indians all but confirmed that Rohit will not be going to KKR. "Sun will rise tomorrow again ye toh confirm hai, but at (K)night... mushkil hi nahi, namumkin hai (not only tough, but impossible)," Mumbai Indians wrote on X. The operative word here is '(K)night', which essentially all but puts an end to the rumours regarding Rohit moving to KKR.

ye toh confirm hai, but at (K)night… ! pic.twitter.com/E5yH3abB4g

— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) October 30, 2025

Kolkata Knight Riders on Thursday officially named former India assistant coach Abhishek Nayar as their new head coach following the departure of Chandrakant Pandit after a three-season tenure. Nayar has been associated with KKR since 2018 and is considered one of the key members of their think tank, often viewed as someone who held significant influence in the dressing room, especially in team selection.

For close to nine months, Nayar was part of Gautam Gambhir's coaching setup in the national team but was unceremoniously sacked after India's Champions Trophy triumph, with Sitanshu Kotak replacing him.

"Abhishek has been a vital part of the Knight Riders setup since 2018, shaping our players both on and off the field. His understanding of the game and connection with players have been key to our growth. We're thrilled to see him take over as Head Coach and lead KKR into its next chapter," said Venky Mysore, CEO of Kolkata Knight Riders.

Nayar has worked closely with the franchise's players as part of its support staff and academy structure. His expertise and ability as a coach have been well established over the years. During his tenure as assistant coach of KKR, he played a vital role in nurturing young talent.

The 43-year-old, who played three ODIs for India, is well respected as a personal coach and has worked individually with players like Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, and Dinesh Karthik, to name a few—apart from his own discovery, Angkrish Raghuvanshi.

With PTI inputs

Topics mentioned in this article

Rohit Sharma Mumbai Indians Kolkata Knight Riders Cricket