Abhishek Nayar named new KKR Head coach for 2026 IPL while also being head coach of UP Warriorz in the WPL.
Abhishek Nayar appointed KKR head coach ahead of IPL 2026.
Prior to the 2026 Indian Premier League, Abhishek Nayar was named head coach of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). It’s a step up from his role as Chandrakant Pandit’s assistant last season, when the team called him back after a year away and he helped Gautam Gambhir on the Indian men’s national team.
The Women’s Premier League team UP Warriorz most recently hired Nayar as head coach.
“Abhishek has been a vital part of the Knight Riders setup since 2018, shaping our players both on and off the field,” KKR CEO Venky Mysore said. “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.”
Nayar, an all-rounder who spent years playing for Mumbai and three ODIs for India in 2009, has a strong coaching background. Nayar was named head coach of the KKR academy in 2018 before retiring as a player in 2019. He later became an assistant coach on the main team’s support staff and head coach of the Trinbago Knight Riders in CPL 2022.
Nayar developed a close relationship with team mentor Gambhir while at KKR, and Nayar joined as assistant coach when Gambhir was named head coach of the national team. However, after a BCCI evaluation of the team’s performance, his contract was terminated less than a year into the position, and he returned to KKR prior to IPL 2025.
After a three-year partnership during which the team won the IPL title (in 2024) following a ten-year hiatus, KKR and Pandit parted ways. Pandit was fired following a rejig at the conclusion of a dismal IPL 2025, in which KKR placed seventh on the points table with just five victories. In the Indian domestic circuit, he has since returned to Madhya Pradesh and assumed the role of director of cricket at Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association.
With bowling consultant Bharat Arun and spin-bowling consultant Carl Crowe moving to the Lucknow Super Giants, the KKR backroom makeover is anticipated to continue in the upcoming months.