NEW DELHI: In a move that was widely expected, former India assistant coach Abhishek Nayar has been appointed as the head coach of Kolkata Knight Riders ahead of IPL 2026, replacing Chandrakant Pandit. The three-time champions parted ways with Pandit after failing to qualify for the 2025 IPL playoffs.

Nayar rejoined the KKR coaching setup midway through IPL 2025 as an assistant coach, soon after completing his stint with the Indian national team.

Expressing his delight over Nayar’s appointment as head coach, KKR CEO Venky Mysore said he was thrilled to see Nayar take on the role, emphasising that his strong rapport with players has been instrumental in their development.

"Abhishek has been a vital part of the Knight Riders setup since 2018, shaping our players both on and off the field. His understanding of the game and connection with players have been key to our growth. We're thrilled to see him take over as Head Coach and lead KKR into its next chapter," said Mysore.

For close to nine months, Nayar was a part of Gautam Gambhir's coaching set-up in the national team but was sacked unceremoniously after India's Champions Trophy triumph with Sitanshu Kotak replacing him.

Nayar has worked closely with the franchise’s players as part of its support staff and academy structure. Nayar’s expertise and ability as a coach have been well established over the years. During his tenure as assistant coach of KKR, he played a vital role in shaping the growth of young talents.

The 43-year-old, who played three ODIs for India, is well respected as a personal coach and has worked in an individual capacity with players like Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Dinesh Karthik to name a few apart from his own find Angkrish Raghuvanshi.