Days after his removal as India’s assistant coach, Abhishek Nayar on Saturday returned to Kolkata Knight Riders fold but his exact role and position has not been specified by the IPL side. Nayar was part of the KKR set up as an assistant coach and mentor when they lifted their third IPL title last year, a decade after their previous triumph in 2014. He also played a pivotal role in player development at the KKR Academy. “Welcome back home, Abhishek Nayar,” KKR posted on X, confirming his re-entry into the team setup.

In an earlier post KKR revealed that he was back as assistant coach but soon deleted it from X.

BCCI had sacked support staff members Nayar, fielding coach T Dilip, and the conditioning coach Soham Desai following a performance review in the wake of India’s dismal run in Test cricket.

Nayar had joined the national team in July 2024.

He is expected to be in the KKR dugout when the team clashes with Gujarat Titans on Monday at Eden Gardens. He was seen training with the team, engaging closely with players, and offering inputs during discussions.

There was a palpable buzz in the KKR camp around his re-entry, with several players seen interacting warmly with the returning coach.

Nayar, 41, has long been considered a key figure in the franchise’s cricketing operations. He was instrumental in setting up and managing the KKR Academy in Mumbai, which has been the team’s training base for years.

He has also been the eyes and ears of KKR CEO Venky Mysore, especially in the lead-up to auctions, playing a critical role in player retention and recruitment strategies.

In fact, before Gautam Gambhir rejoined KKR ahead of the 2024 season as mentor, Nayar was said to have more influence on cricketing matters than head coach Chandrakant Pandit.

“Abhishek would never be out of work even though he has been sacked in a very hostile manner. Everyone in Indian cricket knew that the moment BCCI gets rid of him, KKR would have him back in their fold,” an IPL source told PTI on condition of anonymity.

His close association with Gambhir, now India’s head coach, has been a significant feature of his coaching journey.

SACKING FROM INDIAN TEAM LED TO KKR RETURN

Unhappy with India’s performance, BCCI decided to make changes in the national team set up.

India suffered an unprecedented 0-3 whitewash at home against New Zealand, followed by a 1-3 series defeat — first in a decade — in Australia during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

Despite earning praise for his work with players like KL Rahul, Rohit Sharma, and Shreyas Iyer, his future became uncertain after the BCCI brought in Sitanshu Kotak as batting coach for the England white-ball series earlier this year. The BCCI has not issued any official communication regrading Nayar’s termination.

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