KKR assistant coach Abhishek Nayar is expected to be appointed to the Indian team’s support staff. Reliable sources inform IndiaToday.in that Nayar will join the Indian team on their tour of Sri Lanka, marking Gautam Gambhir’s first assignment as head coach. Nayar, who has been with KKR for six years, has a proven track record of helping Indian domestic players, including Rohit Sharma and Dinesh Karthik, through challenging times.

Alongside Nayar, the Board of Control for Cricket in India is expected to enlist another former KKR player, Ryan ten Doeschate, who is currently the assistant coach for the LAKR franchise in Major League Cricket in the USA.

Support and Transition: Nayar’s impact and the BCCI’s new direction

Both Nayar and ten Doeschate have been part of the KKR setup at different times and are known for their supportive nature. Nayar has a proven track record of assisting players like Rohit Sharma, Dinesh Karthik, and Rinku Singh during difficult periods. Players such as Varun Chakravarthy have highlighted how Nayar uplifted the dressing room after challenging losses in the 2024 IPL season.

In the last game, after conceding so many runs, it was a tough pill to swallow, but the entire team motivated us. Abhishek Nayar and even Shahrukh Khan came and spoke to me, which definitely lifted our spirits.Chakravarthy shared in a Twitter post during the IPL.

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The Indian men’s team support staff, which included Paras Mhambrey (bowling coach), T. Dilip (fielding coach), and Vikram Rathour (batting coach), will not be part of the Gambhir era. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the decision on Tuesday, July 9, via a press release, where they congratulated the trio for their highly successful tenure with the Indian team. The BCCI also expressed gratitude to Rahul Dravid for nurturing young talent and leading India to three finals in ICC tournaments during the 2023/24 cycle.