Abhishek Nayar was removed from the assistant coaching role of the Indian men’s cricket team after India’s horrorful performance in the Border-Gavaskar series. He has rejoined the KKR setup.
Abhishek Nayar has rejoined the Kolkata Knight Riders team after being removed as the assistant coach of the Indian men’s cricket team. The franchise confirmed the development on social media. “Welcome back home, Abhishek Nayar,” KKR wrote on social media while sharing Nayar’s picture in KKR jersey.
Nayar was KKR’s batting coach in the team’s title run in 2024. He forged an association with the then KKR mentor Gautam Gambhir and was roped in for India’s backroom staff under Gambhir’s coaching tenure. However, following India’s dismal outing in the Test format recently, Nair’s contract was terminated. The Indian Board also did not renew contracts of fielding coach T Dilip, and strength and conditioning (S&C) coach Soham Desai.
Nair’s was the first major casualty after the Indian Board conducted a review meeting and assessed the team’s loss Down Under. India lost the Border-Gavaskar series in Australia 1-3 as the batting faltered time and again. The batters could not stand to the strong Aussie line-up. After winning the first Test in Perth, India the next one in Adelaide, before drawing the Gabba Test. The Men in Blue then lost the Melbourne and Sydney Tests too.
Before this series debacle, India were clean swept in a three-match Test series to New Zealand at home for the first time.
Nayar has now rejoined the KKR backroom staff, however, the franchise has not confirmed on what role he is in the team now. He was the batting coach last year and might be in the same capacity in Chandrakant Pandit’s team.
Recently, Delhi Capitals batter KL Rahul heaped praise on Nayar, the former India international, for helping him. “Big shoutout to Abhishek Nayar. I’ve worked a lot with him ever since he’s come into the Indian team, Rahul had said.
