Three time IPL champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) has decided to hand over the reins to Abhishek Nayar, promoting him as their new head coach ahead of the IPL 2026 auction. The formal announcement is expected in the coming days. According to a Indian Express, report Nayar was informed about the decision last week. He has replaced Chandrakant Pandit, who joined the team in 2022 and won the IPL 2024 alongside Gautam Gambhir, who was the mentor at that time and Shreyas Iyer was the captain.

KKR had a forgettable IPL 2025 season, failing to qualify for the play-offs after managing only five wins from 14 league matches. After being sacked as Team India's assistant coach, Nayar quickly returned to KKR and joined the franchise's support staff. Earlier this year, Nayar also took on the head coach role for the Women's Premier League (WPL) franchise UP Warriorz.

Nayar is widely respected for his analytical mindset and his ability to draw out elite performances from individual players. He has recently been working with his old friend, Rohit Sharma, helping the Indian skipper undergo a significant physical transformation, including shedding about 11 kilograms. Other players, such as KL Rahul, have also publicly credited him for improvements in their game.