KKR Appoints Abhishek Nayar As Head Coach; Three-Time IPL Champions Make It Official

Former Team India assistant coach Abhishek Nayar has been named as the new head coach of the Kolkata Knight Riders. The three-time IPL champions have made the official announcement on social media, ushering in a new era for the franchise.

Nayar has been a part of the Kolkata Knight Riders' coaching staff for five years, making him a key part of the unit.

The 42-year-old coach had briefly exited the franchise after being appointed as the assistant coach of Team India under head coach Gautam Gambhir. Unfortunately, he was released from the national side, and he rejoined the three-time IPL-winning franchise once again.

Abhishek Nayar Appointed As KKR's New Head Coach 

The Kolkata Knight Riders are aiming to become champions once again in the IPL. Ahead of the 2026 season, the franchise has made a significant coaching update and has elected a modern mind into the setup.

Abhishek Nayar has been declared as the new head coach of the Kolkata Knight Riders ahead of the IPL 2026 season.

Abhishek Nayar has replaced Chandrakant Pandit at the helm, who had parted ways with the franchise earlier in the year. Coach Pandit served as the head coach of the Kolkata Knight Riders for three seasons.

Coach Chandrakant Pandit and Abhishek Nayar were part of the 2024 season when KKR became three-time IPL title winners.

“A new dawn is upon us,” the Kolkata Knight Riders wrote on the social media platform ‘X’ (formerly Twitter).

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Coach Abhishek Nayar will now lead the Knight Riders' coaching staff, which features Dwayne Bravo as the team mentor.

Bowling coach Bharat Arun had parted with the franchise earlier in the year, and the IPL franchise is currently hunting a replacement. Arun has since joined the Lucknow Super Giants.

KKR Ushers In A New Era Aiming For Success In IPL 2026

The appointment of Abhishek Nayar as the franchise head coach would indicate the Kolkata Knight Riders' enduring trust in the coach. He has been part of the franchise as its assistant coach for a long time. Nayar has emerged as a modern-day coach who focuses on a comprehensive, player-centric ideology.

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Over the years, Abhishek Nayar has worked alongside some of India's top cricketers like KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, and Rohit Sharma. He has played a key role in the former India captain's recent transformation and exceptional outing against Australia in ODIs.

Several Indian cricketers have hailed Nayar's efforts and acknowledged that it has helped them improve their game.

More to follow…