Abhishek Nayar appointed new head coach of Kolkata Knight Riders ahead of IPL 2026

On Thursday, October 30, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) appointed Abhishek Nayar

as the new head coach ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season and he will be firstly tasked to retain and release players before heading to the mini auction table. The 42-year-old, who was the assistant coach under previous head coach Chandrakant Pandit, has been handed a greater responsibility of the KKR first team.

Notably, Abhishek Nayar is already the head coach of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) side UP Warriorz and the appointment was made earlier this year. With the former Indian cricketer becoming their new head coach, KKR also parted ways with Chandrakant Pandit following their three-year partnership, which saw the franchise win the IPL title

in 2024 when current Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir was their team mentor.

Abhishek has been a vital part of Knight Riders setup since 2018: Venky Mysore

In the 2025 season of the IPL, KKR finished in eighth place in the standings with just five wins to their name, which led to the departure of Chandrakant Pandit. Before becoming the new head coach of KKR, Abhishek Nayar was one of the assistants of Gautam Gambhir in the Indian cricket team but his tenure ended following the review of India’s performance at the Test level earlier in the year and then, he rejoined the IPL franchise as their assistant coach.

“Abhishek has been a vital part of Knight Riders setup since 2018, shaping out 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 Venky Mysore, who has been the CEO of the three-time IPL champions for many years.

KKR are also in need to appoint a replacement for bowling consultant Bharat Arun and spin bowling consultant Carl Crowe, who have become the part of Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) ahead of the IPL 2026.