Abhishek Nayar Becomes KKR’s New Head Coach! Is Rohit Sharma’s Move Inevitable Now?

Prior to Abhishek Nayar's appointment, KKR's social media post congratulating Rohit Sharma on his ICC ODI No.1 rank intensified rumors.

Abhishek Nayar Becomes KKR’s New Head Coach! Is Rohit Sharma’s Move Inevitable Now?

Abhishek Nayar's appointment as KKR's new head coach has sparked Rohit Sharma transfer rumors. (via Cricbuzz)

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Ex-Indian all-rounder Abhishek Nayar’s appointment as the head coach of Kolkata Knight Riders, much ahead of the 2026 IPL season, has sparked a wave of speculation. Social media has gone frenzy over rumors that Nayar could be joined by Rohit Sharma at KKR, next summer. 

Abhishek Nayar is all set to begin his stint as KKR’s new head coach, replacing Chandrakant Pandit, who parted ways with the franchise after a disappointing 2025 IPL season. The 42-year-old has already served in various capacities in the KKR setup, and is best known for having realized the potential of young stars like Rinku Singh, Harshit Rana and Vaibhav Arora, as a talent scout in his early coaching days in the IPL.

Nayar served as the batting coach during KKR’s 2024 IPL-winning season, before departing to join the Indian cricket team as a part of Gambhir’s entourage. However, Nayar was relieved of his national team duties after India’s 2025 Champions Trophy win, eventually returning to the franchise. Nayar has now taken over as head coach, given his great understanding with the players and KKR CEO Venky Mysore. 

KKR’s decision to rope in Nayar comes at a crucial juncture, with the 2026 IPL auction round the corner, as well as with rumors emerging over Rohit Sharma‘s future. Speculations have come up that Sharma might be switching teams ahead of the 2026 IPL season. The 38-year-old veteran is reportedly unhappy with his role reduced at Mumbai Indians, after he played most of the 2025 IPL season as an impact substitute. 

With KKR in need of a good opener and leader up front, it comes up as a perfect destination for Sharma. The veteran Indian icon also aims to return to a leadership role, having been removed as MI captain last summer to be replaced by Hardik Pandya. KKR’s newly-appointed head coach Nayar also shares a great relationship with Sharma, with the duo having worked together privately to help the latter undergo a physical transformation. 

Thereafter, it will be interesting to see if Sharma embraces the company of Nayar ahead of the 2026 IPL season. Nayar’s training and mentorship did help the 38-year-old win the POTS award for finishing as highest run-getter in the recently-concluded India-Australia ODI series.

Mumbai Indians shares cryptic social media post amid Rohit Sharma exit and KKR rumors

After reports surfaced that ace Indian opener and IPL legend Rohit Sharma is unhappy with his position at Mumbai Indians, the franchise quickly tried to put the speculation to rest. The speculations emerged after Sharma’s close aide Abhishek Nayar took over as KKR’s new head coach. 

Rohit Sharma Mumbai Indians
Mumbai Indian posted a cryptic message on social media, dispelling Rohit Sharma exit rumors. (via NDTV Sports)

Sharma shares a deep bond with Mumbai Indians, having played for the franchise for over the past decade. He led MI to five IPL titles after being appointed as captain in 2013, including a historic double in 2019-2020. He has also been the franchise’s leading-run scorer, having recorded 5,876 runs in 227 matches, while also being the joint-most successful captain in IPL history, on par with MS Dhoni. 

Sharma’s relationship with the franchise soured following Hardik Pandya’s return in 2024, as a result of which the batter might be seeking a move out ahead of the 2026 season. However, MI took to social media to share a surprising message about the ‘sun’ (possibly referring to Rohit Sharma), which would rise, but not at ‘(K)night’ (a reference to the Sharma’s speculated move to Kolkata Knight Riders).

The message has been seen as a subtle way of dismissing rumors that Sharma would be joining KKR, despite a key relationship with Nayar. In fact, Nayar is credited with having helped the 38-year-old complete his resurgence in the three-match ODI series against Australia.

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