Former Indian assistant coach Abhishek Nayar has been appointed as the new head coach of UP Warriorz for the upcoming season, replacing Jon Lewis, who coached the team for three consecutive seasons.
From KKR to Team India: Nayar’s Coaching Journey Before UP Warriorz Return
Nayar represented India in three ODIs before announcing his retirement in 2019. He transitioned into coaching soon after and has spent the majority of his coaching career with Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL. He was also part of the coaching staff during KKR’s IPL 2024 title-winning campaign..
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Following that successful stint, he joined the Indian national team setup as an assistant coach under Gautam Gambhir. However, his tenure lasted around a year and a half, as the BCCI parted ways with him ahead of India’s tour of England in 2025. He then returned to the KKR management for IPL 2025.
Notably, this is Abhishek Nayar’s second stint with the UP Warriorz, having worked with the team as a consultant during the 2024 pre-season.
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Nayar Confident of Building a Title-Winning Team with UP Warriorz
Meanwhile, UP Warriorz have qualified for the WPL playoffs only once, back in 2023, across the tournament’s first three seasons. Nayar is confident of building a strong foundation and is already focused on assembling a competitive squad for the upcoming season.
"I enjoyed my time working with the UP Warriorz before, and I'm thrilled to take on this new role," Nayar said of his appointment. "WPL is a fantastic platform for women's cricket, and I'm looking forward to working closely with the management to build a strong team for Season 4," as quoted by Cricbuzz.
Nayar also expressed belief in the team’s potential to win their first-ever title:
"UP Warriorz already have a solid core in place, and I believe we can build something truly special. There is incredible potential, and I will give it my all to help win their first-ever title this season," he concluded.
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