Former India Player, Axed Coach Handed Charge Of KKR For IPL 2026: Reports – Cricket.com

Axed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) as assistant coach of the Indian men’s cricket team, Abhishek Nayar joined Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 in the capacity of an assistant coach. Now, the same person would become the head coach of the side, if reports are to be believed. 
“Nayar was told about the franchise’s decision last week and a formal announcement is expected to be made soon. Nayar had joined the IPL franchise last year as support staff after he was removed as assistant coach of the Indian team,” Indian Express wrote in a report. 
Nayar, who had remained with the KKR unit for nearly six years, having joined them in 2018 as head coach of their academy, moved out with the then team’s mentor, Gautam Gambhir, to be named the Indian national team’s assistant coach in July 2024.
However, in April 2025, he was axed by the BCCI as part of an overhaul in management after the team lost back-to-back Test series against New Zealand at home and against Australia away from home. 
Nayar, would succeed Chandrakant Pandit, who was removed from his position after the team’s middling IPL 2025 campaign where they failed to reach the knockout stage.
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