Former India assistant coach Abhishek Nayar has been appointed KKR’s head coach for IPL 2026, replacing Chandrakant Pandit after a poor 2025 season. Fans are excited, hoping his deep KKR roots and experience will revive the team’s winning momentum.
Former Team India assistant coach Abhishek Nayar has been appointed as the head coach of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. The role was left vacant after Chandrakant Pandit stepped down after a four-year stint following the IPL 2025 in order to explore the opportunities.
Kolkata Knight Riders had a disappointing season in the IPL 2025, where they failed to qualify for the playoffs, finishing eighth on the points table. The KKR were the defending champions after winning the third IPL triumph last year, but the title defence fell apart due to inconsistent performances and a lack of form from key players. After Chandrakant Pandit stepped down as head coach after IPL 2024, the KKR management was in the hunt for a new coach ahead of IPL 2026.
As per the earlier reports, KKR finalized Abhishek Nayar as their new head coach, as the management informed him about his appointment earlier, after a series of internal discussions and performance reviews.
Assistant Coach to Head Coach
Abhishek is already part of KKR’s coaching staff as he served as an assistant coach, crediting for playing a key role in the team’s IPL 2024 title triumph. The 45-year-old has had a long association with the Kolkata Knight Riders, as he joined the franchise as a mentor and head coach of their academy in 2018. Thereafter, Abhishek was promoted to the position of assistant coach, which he served from 2018 till 2024.
After KKR’s IPL 2024 title triumph, Abhishek Nayar left the franchise’s coaching staff after he was appointed as India’s assistant coach and served under head coach Gautam Gambhir. However, a former Mumbai cricketer returned to KKR as an assistant coach after his contract was terminated by the BCCI following India’s Test series whitewash at the hands of New Zealand and Border-Gavaskar Trophy defeat to Australia in Australia.
Ahead of the IPL 2026 retention and release, Kolkata Knight Riders officially announced Abhishek Nayar as their new head coach, replacing Chandrakant Pandit.
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Abhishek Nayar’s appointment as head coach shows the franchise’s faith in promoting experienced insiders who understand the team culture and can guide KKR back to competitive form in the upcoming IPL season.
KKR Fans Elated over Abhishek Nayar as Head Coach
Abhishek Nayar’s appointment as the head coach has sent Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)’s fans into a frenzy as social media erupted with excitement, lauding the franchise for appointing a homegrown member who understands the team’s core philosophy and dressing room culture.
Taking to their X handle (formerly Twitter), KKR fans have not only lauded the franchise’s decision to appoint Abhishek Nayar as their new head coach but also expressed their faith in him to revive the team and bring back the winning momentum that defined KKR’s golden run in IPL 2024.
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Abhishek Nayar’s first major task will be to finalize the list of players to be retained and released, working closely with the team management ahead of IPL 2026.
The 45-year-old will be handed with responsibility to resurrect KKR’s culture, instill a winning culture and mindset, and steer the team back into playoff contention in the upcoming IPL season. With coaching experience under his belt after retiring as a professional cricketer, Abhishek Nayar is set to bring tactical acumen, a player-based approach, and leadership to guide KKR to their fourth IPL triumph in the upcoming season of the tournament.