Abhishek Nayar has been named as the new head coach of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for the upcoming Indian Premier League 2026 season, taking over from Chandrakant Pandit who left the team after the IPL 2025 season.
Nayar, a former cricketer, has been part of the KKR setup for a long time, serving in various roles including assistant coach and talent scout. He has been instrumental in identifying and nurturing talents like Rinku Singh and Harshit Rana.
Having a strong track record of helping players overcome rough patches and regain form, Nayar was part of the coaching staff when KKR clinched their third IPL title in 2024 alongside current India head coach Gautam Gambhir. He later joined the Indian cricket team’s coaching staff with Gambhir, before returning to KKR and leading the Women’s Premier League team UP Warriorz last season.
Reports circulated on October 26 indicating Nayar’s imminent appointment as the head coach of the three-time IPL champions.
Venky Mysore, CEO of KKR, praised Nayar’s deep connection with the players and his profound understanding of the game, highlighting his significant role in the team’s development.
Mysore expressed, “Abhishek has been an integral part of the Knight Riders setup since 2018, molding our players both on and off the field. His knowledge of the game and rapport with players have been crucial to our progress. We are excited to witness him lead KKR into the next phase as Head Coach.”
Nayar’s appointment comes just before the IPL 2026 retention and auction. In the previous season, KKR finished in eighth place, winning five matches and losing seven.