25 July,2025 05:20 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Abhishek Nayar (R)
Former India men's team assistant coach Abhishek Nayar was on Friday appointed as the head coach of the Women's Premier League (WPL) franchise UP Warriorz ahead of the tournament's fourth season.
Nayar takes over from Jon Lewis, who had served as the head coach of the Warriorz for the first three seasons. The decision to part ways with Lewis signals a strategic shift for the franchise as they aim to rebuild and improve their performance in the upcoming edition.
Though this is Nayar's first official stint as head coach in the WPL, he is no stranger to the Warriorz setup. He had previously been involved with the team during off-season training camps in Bengaluru following the league's inaugural season.
Nayar's appointment comes shortly after his exit from the Indian men's team, where he served as an assistant coach. His tenure with the national side was cut short less than a year into the role. Despite that setback, Nayar remains a respected figure in Indian cricket circles, known for his player development skills and his role in shaping young talents, especially during his time with the Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL and at the KKR Academy.
Speaking on his appointment, Nayar said, "I really enjoyed my time working with the UP Warriorz before and I'm thrilled to take on this new role. 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.
"UP Warriorz already have a strong foundation 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."
Nayar, who represented Mumbai with distinction in first-class cricket, also played three ODIs for India before his retirement in 2019.
Since then, he has made a name for himself in coaching and was part of the Kolkata Knight Riders support staff as their assistant coach during their triumphant IPL campaign in 2024.
Several high-profile cricketers such as Dinesh Karthik and KL Rahul have talked about the positive turn that Nayar brought about in their game.
He has also served as the coach of the KKR academy in 2018 and was the head coach of Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) in Caribbean Premier League in 2022.
Nayar was appointed as the Indian men's team's assistant coach after Gambhir Gambhir became its head coach and was part of the team that won the Champions Trophy in the UAE earlier this year.
However, his contract was terminated after that and he returned as KKR's assistant coach for IPL 2025.
