IPL 2026: KKR To Appoint Abhishek Nayar As New Head Coach In Major Overhaul
Nayar joined KKR in 2018 as the head of their new KKR Academy in Mumbai. He coached many young players there and built strong bonds with players like Rinku Singh and Varun Chakaravarthy, who still credit him for their growth.
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Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have reportedly appointed Abhishek Nayar as the team’s head coach, starting from the IPL 2026 season. According to The Indian Express, the franchise informed Nayar about the decision last week, and an official announcement will be made soon.
Nayar joined KKR in 2018 as the head of their new KKR Academy in Mumbai. He coached many young players there and built strong bonds with players like Rinku Singh and Varun Chakaravarthy, who still credit him for their growth.
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Abhishek Nayar’s Journey with KKR
Eventually, former Mumbai all-rounder Abhishek Nayar took up a role closer to the KKR team as the batting coach. He was part of the Chandrakant Pandit-led support staff that helped KKR win the IPL 2024 title, their third trophy. When franchise mentor Gautam Gambhir was appointed by the BCCI as the head coach of the Indian men’s team, he brought Nayar and fielding coach Ryan ten Doeschate with him as assistant coaches.
However, while Gambhir, ten Doeschate, and bowling coach Morne Morkel continued, Nayar was removed from the national team earlier this year after India’s big defeat in the 2024–25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Sitanshu Kotak is now serving as India’s batting coach.
KKR’s Struggles and Nayar’s Return
KKR brought Nayar back during the middle of the 2025 season, but he couldn’t turn things around. The team struggled after losing captain Shreyas Iyer, had a weak auction, and finished eighth with only five wins in 14 games.
Nayar is seen as a calm and understanding coach, unlike Pandit, who had a strict image as a domestic cricket legend. Although Nayar doesn’t have major coaching titles, he has worked closely with players like Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, and Dinesh Karthik, who have credited him for improving their careers.
How Nayar handles the bigger challenge as KKR’s head coach remains to be seen. Earlier this year, he was also appointed as the head coach of the WPL team UP Warriorz, and it’s not yet clear if he will continue in that role after taking charge of KKR.
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