KKR Appoints Abhishek Nayar as New Head Coach, Succeeding Chandrakant Pandit

The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have confirmed the appointment of former India all-rounder Abhishek Nayar as their new head coach. A highly placed source within the franchise has confirmed the development to this publication, with an official announcement expected shortly.

A new dawn is upon us 💜☀ pic.twitter.com/hQZLFSuaCm

— KolkataKnightRiders (@KKRiders) October 30, 2025

Nayar steps into the role previously held by Chandrakant Pandit, who parted ways with the franchise after a successful three-season tenure that culminated in the IPL 2024 championship victory. This decision continues KKR’s recent strategy of appointing an Indian coach to lead the side.

The 42-year-old Nayar is not a new face at KKR. He has been an integral part of the franchise’s support staff for five years, with his involvement only interrupted during the 2025 season due to his commitments as an assistant coach with the Indian national team. The KKR management holds him in high regard for his modern, player-centric philosophy and his cutting-edge coaching methods.

Nayar brings a formidable reputation for player development, having worked one-on-one with several top Indian cricketers with notable success. His list of pupils includes KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, and most prominently, India captain Rohit Sharma. Rohit’s recent resurgence in form is widely attributed to his individual sessions with Nayar, a contribution the skipper has publicly acknowledged on multiple occasions.

In his new role, Nayar will work alongside existing staff members, including mentor Dwayne Bravo. The franchise is currently in the process of finding a new bowling coach after Bharat Arun, who has since joined the Lucknow Super Giants, departed earlier this year.

                                               

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