IPL 2025: Abhishek Nayar reunites with KKR days after being fired as India’s assistant coach

Abhishek Nayar, a former assistant coach for India, has rejoined the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and will be in the dugout for the reigning champions’ match against Gujarat Titans (GT) at Eden Gardens on Monday, April 21.

Nayar was hired as the Men in Blue’s assistant coach when Gautam Gambhir was named head coach of the Indian squad last year. Both of them were instrumental behind the scenes when KKR won the Indian Premier League (IPL) championship the previous season. Nayar was the assistant coach, and Gambhir was the mentor of the Kolkata-based team.

Welcome back home, @abhisheknayar1 pic.twitter.com/IwJQTnAWxa

— KolkataKnightRiders (@KKRiders) April 19, 2025

After 12 years, Gambhir and Abhishek Nayar helped India win the Champions Trophy by working together with other employees.

Additionally, they gave young players T20I opportunities, and the decision has paid off. India’s T20 team is strong under Suryakumar Yadav in every situation. In Test cricket, there have been some obvious flaws, though.

In a home Test series last year, New Zealand thoroughly dominated India. The team captained by Rohit Sharma also lost the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia Down Under after a five-match Test series that ended in a 1-3 loss.

Three members of the support staff were fired by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) following the Test format disasters. Fielding coach T Dilip and strength and conditioning coach Sohum Desai were let go along with Nayar.

Players like Rinku Singh, Dinesh Karthik, and Rohit Sharma have all benefited from Nayar’s assistance in finding their form again at different stages of the game. The Knights, who have been having trouble playing consistently in the IPL 2025, will benefit greatly from his addition. After seven games this season, they have three victories and four losses, therefore they will need to play their best. ablaze from this point on as the playoff battle heats up.