Former Team India all-rounder appointed KKR head coach ahead of IPL 2026

Former Indian all-rounder Abhishek Nayar has been appointed as the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) head coach ahead of the 2026 IPL season. Nayar will replace Chandrakant Pandit at the helm after the latter's three-year run as head coach.

KKR achieved incredible success under Pandit, winning their third IPL title in 2024. However, under new captain Ajinkya Rahane, the franchise endured a disappointing 2025 season, finishing eighth on the points table and missing the playoffs for a second time in Pandit's three-year tenure.

Meanwhile, Nayar was assistant to Pandit during KKR's title run in 2024, before moving to Team India as assistant coach to Gautam Gambhir. The former Indian all-rounder was part of the KKR support staff for five years until the 2025 season, before assisting Gambhir as part of the Indian coaching staff. Nayar returned to the franchise ahead of the 2025 IPL season, following the termination of his Team India contract.

The 42-year-old was also recently appointed head coach of the UP Warriorz in the WPL.

Abhishek Nayar played under MS Dhoni in his brief Team India career

Abhishek Nayar was one of the most accomplished all-rounders in domestic cricket during his playing days with Mumbai. The Hyderabad-born all-rounder finished with 5,749 runs and 173 wickets in his 103-match first-class career.

Nayar also boasted an excellent record in the white-ball formats at the domestic level, finishing with over 3,400 runs and 106 wickets. With a unique combination of left-handed batting and right-arm medium-pace bowling, the now-42-year-old debuted for India in an ODI against the West Indies under MS Dhoni in 2009.

Nayar played only the three ODI games for India, all coming against the West Indies in 2009. While he did not bat in the first two matches, he was unbeaten on zero from seven deliveries in his third and final outing for India.

Nayar bowled only three overs in his international career, conceding 17 runs without picking up a wicket.

The all-rounder had an extended IPL career as a player, representing four franchises, Mumbai Indians, Punjab Kings, Pune Warriors India, and Rajasthan Royals, from 2008 to 2014.

Nayar finished with 672 runs and nine wickets in his 60-match IPL career.

Edited by Venkatesh Ravichandran