Kolkata Knight Riders appoints Abhishek Nayar as head coach for IPL 2026: Report

Kolkata Knight Riders appoints Abhishek Nayar as head coach for IPL 2026 (X/KKRiders)

Months after removing Chandrakant Pandit, Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) is all set to appoint Abhishek Nayar as their new head coach for the 2026 edition. Nayar has previously been part of the KKR coaching setup and had rejoined the franchise in the previous season after losing his job as Team India's assistant coach.

The development was reported by The Indian Express, stating that Nayar was communicated about the decision last week and an official announcement can be expected soon.

KKR had announced the departure of previous head coach Pandit in July, bringing an end to a two-year stint during which the franchise won their third IPL title. However, the fortunes changed drastically for the franchise in 2025 as they finished eighth, matching their lowest ever finish in tournament history.

Under Pandit’s stewardship, KKR not only clinched the title but also registered the highest points tally and best net run rate (NRR) in their IPL history. However, the momentum fizzled out in 2025 as a poor run following the mega auction saw KKR win just five of their 14 league matches, crashing out of playoff contention with two games to spare.

Nayar, on the other hand, has been a major force behind the scenes, grooming players at the academy. He is renowned in the Indian cricket ecosystem for scouting talents. He was recently seen working with Rohit Sharma and the results are vivid both in the former India captain's fitness and performance. While Rohit appears significantly leaner and is reported to have shed at least 11 kgs, he announced his return to international setup with two impressive knocks in Australia.

Meanwhile, Nayar is also the head coach of Women’s Premier League (WPL) franchise UP Warriorz, a role he took up earlier this year. It will be interesting to see if Nayar continues with this dual role in the future.