Abhishek Nayar, recently shacked from team India's assistant coach duties, will join the third season of the T20 Mumbai League with the Mumbai South Central Maratha Royals as their mentor. Another renowned name in the Indian cricket circuit, Paras Mhambrey, who was an integral part of the Men in Blue brigade during Rahul Dravid's coaching era, is all set to join ARCS Andheri as a mentor.

Nayar and Mhambrey both received their appointment letters from their respective franchises to guide budding talents. T20 Mumbai League , one of the most popular and impactful franchise tournaments for Indian domestic cricket, after a long six-year break, is heading towards its third season, which is scheduled to start on May 26 and conclude on June 8, containing eight teams.

Abhishek Nayar and Paras Mhambrey, with years of coaching experience, can be proved to be the right persons to promote young talents. After relief from the national team duties, Nayar joined IPL side Kolkata Knight Riders, the champion of IPL 2024, where he was an instrumental figure for the Knights.

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This year's T20 Mumbai League is going to be huge, as the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) appointed Team India skipper Rohit Sharma as the face of the tournament, and over 2,800 players registered their names for the third season of the league.

Indian cricket fans are waiting for T20 Mumbai League 2025

Multiple talented players like Shivam Dube, Tushar Deshpande, and Shams Mulani, who are currently thriving in IPL, first came under the spotlight when they displayed their skills in Mumbai's own franchise league. MCA recently announced a list containing the names of the coaches appointed by the respective teams. 

Check the list some other mentors here:

• Omkar Salvi (SoBo Mumbai Falcons) 
• Rajesh Pawar (ARCS Andheri)
• Atul Ranade (Triumph Knights Mumbai North East)
• Amit Dani (Mumbai South Central Maratha Royals)
• Prashant Shetty (Eagle Thane Strikers)
• Pravin Tambe (North Mumbai Panthers)
• Vinod Raghvan (Aakash Tigers Mumbai Western Suburbs)
• Namo Bandra Blasters has yet to announce their coach's name. 

In a shocking move, BCCI made a golden handshake with Abhishek Nayar, who had been working with team India head coach Gautam Gambhir as a fitness and batting coach. After departing from the Men in Blue camp, Nayar turned his head towards his former camp, Kolkata Knight Riders.

Nayar rejoins the Kolkata-based side again, but before that, he was spotted with Rohit Sharma prior to the Mumbai Indians vs. Chennai Super Kings match, where Rohit Sharma got his best touch of the IPL 2025 season so far with an unbeaten 76 runs off 45 balls, powered by 4 boundaries and 6 over boundaries, with a strike rate of 168.89.

After the innings, Rohit Sharma showed his gratitude towards Nayar by saying, "Thanks, bro!"

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BCCI's decision to remove Abhishek from the coaching team was a bit controversial because of his profile, influence over cricketers, and capability of working with junior and senior talents. During his previous stint with KKR, Nayar nurtured numerous young talents like Rinku Singh, who, in the latter part, qualified for the national team.

Nayar to recreate his momentum 

Indian cricket fans are curious about why BCCI asked Abhishek Nayar to leave. According to a widely believed theory, the coaching team led by Gautam Gambhir already has Morne Morkel (bowling coach), Ryan ten Doeschate (assistant coach), and T. Dilip (fielding coach). Nayar was with them as another assistant coach. Team India's recent performance can be a major reason. India performed poorly against Australia in the away series and New Zealand in the home series. But from Rohit Sharma's post it is clear enough that a number of players admire Abhishekh.

The 41-year-old coach will have some luck with Kolkata Knight Riders, who were just badly outclassed by Gujarat Titans at the Eden Gardens. 

Abhishek Nayar’s appointment back at the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) has sparked plenty of discussion across domestic Indian cricket. Based on a PTI report, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) was not surprised by Nayar’s reappointment. In fact, the report implied that when BCCI released Nayar, it was only natural that KKR would reappoint him. "Abhishek would never be out of work even though he has been released in such a cruel manner," an unnamed source told PTI. "Everybody in Indian cricket knew that the moment BCCI released him, KKR was going to swoop in and take him back."

Nayar's departure from the Indian team setup, where he was an assistant coach, was just over eight months ago, and while it was reported that he left under bad vibes, his value as a mentor and coach has stayed strong. Many people behind the scenes with first-hand knowledge credit Nayar for mentoring and helping players behind the scenes. One of these players is KL Rahul, for whom Nayar was at least partly responsible for his turnaround in form. His deep understanding of players and the game itself makes him a valuable asset—one that franchises like KKR are keen to hold onto.

Having recently worked with Gautam Gambhir at IPL 2024, Nayar's return to the KKR franchise is a natural transition. Their rapport in the coaching environment was clear, and with Gambhir being the "face" of the franchise, the team returned him so quickly as the first choice, which was not surprising! The franchise has always put value on keeping its continuity and having familiarity in their support staff, two characteristics Nayar possesses plenty of.

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Ties That Bind: KKR and Nayar's Trust

The KKR franchise and Abhishek Nayar have a relationship built on years of professional trust and success. He's always been known as a mentor who truly takes pride in his players succeeding and offers help with not only skills but also with mindset and approach. So, his introduction signifies KKR's commitment to help develop talent both on-field and off-field.

Now that Nayar will be back in the KKR dugout, fans and analysts alike will watch closely to see how Nayar's presence develops KKR's trajectory on their future journeys.

Just two days after his stint as assistant coach of the Indian men’s team ended, Abhishek Nayar has returned to the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for IPL 2025. The franchise confirmed his comeback ahead of their match against the Gujarat Titans at Eden Gardens on Saturday, April 19.

Nayar’s exit from the national team was part of a major reshuffle by the BCCI following India’s poor run in Test cricket. India suffered a 0-3 defeat at home to New Zealand and lost the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 1-3. Nayar had joined the Indian setup in July 2024 as assistant to head coach Gautam Gambhir. Along with him, fielding coach T Dilip and fitness coach Soham Desai were also informed that their contracts wouldn’t be renewed. A senior BCCI official personally called each of them, stating that the board was cutting down the size of the support staff.

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KKR Welcomes Back a Key Architect of Their 2024 Title Win

Nayar's return to KKR is no surprise. He was in their support staff from 2018 to 2024 and was instrumental in their IPL title triumph last year – KKR's first in a decade. He also captained the KKR academy and guided several established and young Indian players such as Rohit Sharma, Dinesh Karthik, Shreyas Iyer, Venkatesh Iyer, and Angkrish Raghuvanshi.

He was spotted at Eden Gardens on Saturday when KKR were getting ready for their upcoming game. He is part of a good support staff consisting of head coach Chandrakant Pandit, bowling coach Bharat Arun, spin coach Carl Crowe, mentor Dwayne Bravo, and assistant coach Ottis Gibson. KKR are currently sixth on the table with three wins in seven matches and will look for Nayar's return to better their season. In a smaller but related move, the BCCI also released team masseur Arun Kanade as part of its support staff changes. With Nayar back in the mix, KKR will look to regain rhythm and push for another shot at the IPL trophy.

In a major shake-up following India’s disappointing performance in the recent Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) and concerns over internal team leaks, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has taken strict action by reshuffling key personnel in the coaching staff. The move reflects the board’s growing frustration with both on-field results and off-field controversies affecting the team’s environment.

Assistant coach Abhishek Nayar is expected to be removed from his role, while fielding coach T. Dilip and strength and conditioning coach Soham Desai have officially been relieved of their duties. Both had completed over three years in their positions, and their contracts have now been discontinued. The decision follows a pattern of underperformance and rising concerns within the Indian camp.

The BCCI was particularly disturbed by a series of “dressing room leaks” during the Australia series, prompting a closer review of team operations. These issues, combined with India's inability to clinch the high-profile Test series, have led to a demand for structural changes aimed at restoring discipline and performance within the squad.

🚨 BCCI CHANGE COACHING STAFF. 🚨

- The BCCI set to remove Abhishek Nayar from the coaching duties. (Abhishek Tripathi). pic.twitter.com/qqlqrB77i5

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) April 17, 2025

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New Faces Expected in Coaching Line-Up

To begin the overhaul, Adrian Le Roux is set to join the Indian team as the new strength and conditioning coach. The South African trainer is well-regarded for his past stints in international cricket and is expected to bring a fresh approach to fitness and preparation. The board is also likely to appoint new faces for fielding and assistant coaching roles in the coming weeks as part of a larger rebuild heading into future tours and tournaments.

These changes underline BCCI’s commitment to accountability and its renewed focus on building a winning culture in the dressing room.

KKR assistant coach Abhishek Nayar is expected to be appointed to the Indian team’s support staff. Reliable sources inform IndiaToday.in that Nayar will join the Indian team on their tour of Sri Lanka, marking Gautam Gambhir’s first assignment as head coach. Nayar, who has been with KKR for six years, has a proven track record of helping Indian domestic players, including Rohit Sharma and Dinesh Karthik, through challenging times.

Alongside Nayar, the Board of Control for Cricket in India is expected to enlist another former KKR player, Ryan ten Doeschate, who is currently the assistant coach for the LAKR franchise in Major League Cricket in the USA.

Support and Transition: Nayar’s impact and the BCCI’s new direction

Both Nayar and ten Doeschate have been part of the KKR setup at different times and are known for their supportive nature. Nayar has a proven track record of assisting players like Rohit Sharma, Dinesh Karthik, and Rinku Singh during difficult periods. Players such as Varun Chakravarthy have highlighted how Nayar uplifted the dressing room after challenging losses in the 2024 IPL season.

In the last game, after conceding so many runs, it was a tough pill to swallow, but the entire team motivated us. Abhishek Nayar and even Shahrukh Khan came and spoke to me, which definitely lifted our spirits.Chakravarthy shared in a Twitter post during the IPL.

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The Indian men’s team support staff, which included Paras Mhambrey (bowling coach), T. Dilip (fielding coach), and Vikram Rathour (batting coach), will not be part of the Gambhir era. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the decision on Tuesday, July 9, via a press release, where they congratulated the trio for their highly successful tenure with the Indian team. The BCCI also expressed gratitude to Rahul Dravid for nurturing young talent and leading India to three finals in ICC tournaments during the 2023/24 cycle.

Ahead of the highly anticipated clash between Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Mumbai Indians (MI) in IPL 2024, a video surfaced capturing a candid conversation between Rohit Sharma, former MI captain, and Abhishek Nayar, current KKR assistant coach. The discussion, filled with intrigue and speculation, has sent shock-waves through the cricketing world.

The Conversation Revealed

In the video, Rohit Sharma and Abhishek Nayar discuss ‘things changing’ amidst the hustle and bustle of practice. However, one snippet from the conversation stood out—”it’s his last.” This enigmatic statement has sparked a flurry of conjecture regarding its significance and implications.

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“Ek ek cheez change ho raha hai…Woh unke upar hai…Jo bhi hai woh mera ghar hai bhai, woh temple jo hai na maine banwaya hain(Everything is changing one by one… It’s on them… Whatever, but it’s my home brother, it’s the temple that I constructed),” Rohit could be heard saying in the video.

The last line that could be heard in the video was: “Bhai mera kya mera to ye last hai (brother, this is my last anyway)”.

Analysis on Conversation

While the exact context of Rohit Sharma’s statement remains elusive, it has triggered a wave of speculation among cricket enthusiasts. Some believe that Rohit may have hinted at his departure from Mumbai Indians, the team he has led to multiple IPL victories. Others speculate that the remark could be related to significant changes within the Mumbai Indians camp, possibly referring to Hardik Pandya’s captaincy tenure.

Backlash Against Hardik Pandya’s Captaincy

Reports suggest senior players within the Mumbai Indians squad are discontented with Hardik Pandya’s captaincy style. The decision to appoint Hardik as captain, replacing the seasoned Rohit Sharma, was met with skepticism and criticism from fans and experts alike.

Impact on Mumbai Indians’ Performance

The fallout from the captaincy change has been palpable in Mumbai Indians’ performance in IPL 2024. The team’s lackluster showing, coupled with frequent booing of Hardik Pandya by disgruntled fans, underscores the turmoil within the franchise. With MI failing to replicate their past glory and facing early elimination from the tournament, questions loom large over the team’s future direction.