Kolkata Knight Riders have appointed Abhishek Nayar as their new Head Coach, marking a new era for the IPL franchise.
Announcing the move on Instagram, KKR wrote, “A new dawn is upon us.” Nayar has been an integral part of the Knight Riders setup since 2018, KKR mentioned.
KKR CEO Venky Mysore said, “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,” KKR posted on their Instagram account.
Also Read | Nitish Kumar Reddy ruled out of first three T20Is against Australia due to injury
Nayar returns to the KKR fold after helping Gautam Gambhir with India’s national men’s senior team. The 42-year-old former Mumbai allrounder, who represented India in three ODIs in 2009, has wide coaching experience. He has been the lead coach of KKR Academy (2018), assistant coach of the main team, and head coach of Trinbago Knight Riders in the 2022 Caribbean Premier League.
Also Read | Washington Sundar reacts to rumours of joining Chennai Super Kings after Ravichandran Ashwin’s exit
A Versatile coach with proven experience
Earlier this year, Nayar was also named the head coach of the Women's Premier League side UP Warriorz. Through these years, he has built a reputation for working closely with players to regain lost form and confidence. In the Knight Riders set-up, Nayar has played a pivotal role in identifying and mentoring emerging talents like Rinku Singh and Harshit Rana, as reported by India Today.
Also Read | Karun Nair sent THIS message to Ajit Agarkar after scoring century in Ranji; What did it say?
Pandit’s exit after three seasons
Nayar's promotion follows KKR's decision to part ways with Pandit after a three-season stint, which included the team's 2024 IPL title triumph, their first in a decade. A disappointing 2025 campaign, which saw KKR finish eighth with just five wins, prompted an overhaul of the coaching structure. Pandit has since taken over as the director of cricket at the Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association.
