Abhishek Nayar has rejoined the support staff of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). This news comes after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) decided not to renew his contract as an assistant coach for the national team. KKR confirmed Nayar’s return in a statement on April 19, noting he would likely participate in training at Eden Gardens the same day.
Interestingly, Nayar’s reappointment happened before the BCCI officially announced his departure from the national team. He served as deputy to head coach Gautam Gambhir for nearly ten months. Along with Nayar, fielding coach T Dilip and strength and conditioning trainer Soham Desai also faced contract non-renewals.
A senior BCCI official personally informed each of these staff members about the decision. Although the board expressed satisfaction with their performance, it opted to reduce the support staff size. This decision made it impossible to renew contracts for several members, including Nayar.
Nayar’s return to KKR was expected. He is a valued former India and Mumbai all-rounder who previously managed the KKR academy. As he joined the existing support staff, he worked alongside head coach Chandrakant Pandit, bowling coach Bharat Arun, and mentor Dwayne Bravo. Meanwhile, the BCCI also released a masseur from the national team, further indicating staff changes within the organization.