Abhishek Nayar officially named UP Warriorz head coach after BCCI sacking

The UP Warriorz have appointed former India all-rounder and former assistant coach Abhishek Nayar as their new head coach ahead of the next edition of the Women's Premier League (WPL). Abhishek Nayar replaced Jon Lewis as UP Warriorz head coach ahead of the WPL 2026.

Jon Lewis served as the UP Warriorz head coach for three seasons in the Women's Premier League. Well, Nayar brings a wealth of experience to the role, having worked in different capacities both at the highest level and in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Abhishek Nayar takes over as UP Warriorz head coach at WPL 2026

Abhishek Nayar transitioned into coaching after his retirement from the game in 2019. The former Mumbai cricket giant has been a key figure in the Kolkata Knight Riders’ (KKR) coaching setup since 2018 and also worked as the Trinbago Knight Riders head coach in the CPL 2022.

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His partnership with Gautam Gambhir played a pivotal role in KKR’s 2024 IPL title win and earned him the position of India’s assistant coach. However, after his brief stint with the Indian cricket team, Nayar returned to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the middle of the IPL 2025.

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Meanwhile, UP Warriorz COO and Director of Cricket Kshemal Waingankar has welcomed Abhishek Nayar to the WPL franchise as the head coach. He praised Nayar’s strong track record in helping teams to win the major title and players like Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul to find their real mojo.

It was a no-brainer: Kshemal Waingankar on Abhishek Nayar's appointment

Kshemal Waingankar, COO and Director of Cricket UPW, was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo, “Bringing Abhishek Nayar on board as head coach feels like a natural and exciting step forward for UP Warriorz. When someone of Abhishek's caliber became available, it was a no-brainer. Few in Indian cricket bring the same depth of experience when it comes to shaping players and shaping winning cultures.”

He believes that Nayar’s leadership will inspire a fearless and united UP Warriorz team to achieve something special in the next edition of the Women's Premier League in 2026.

Waingankar further noted, “In just the past 18 months alone, Abhishek has been part of three championship-winning campaigns, each in a different role, each leaving a lasting impact. We are thrilled to have him lead a Warriorz side that's united, fearless, and hungry to grow. With Abhishek at the helm, we believe this group can do something truly special.”

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UP Warriorz seek fresh start with Abhishek Nayar after disappointing WPL seasons

However, Abhishek hasn’t coached a women’s team before, but he led a week-long training camp with UP Warriorz in August 2023 in Bengaluru. Nayar got the much-deserved hype after top Indian players like Dinesh Karthik, Rohit Sharma, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, and Venkatesh Iyer credited the coach for their improved game.

On the other hand, the UP Warriorz have struggled in the Women’s Premier League so far. After reaching the WPL playoffs in 2023, they slipped down the table, finishing second-last in 2024 and last in 2025. Out of 25 matches played, they have won only 10 games in the WPL so far. In 2025, Deepti Sharma led the side after Alyssa Healy was ruled out of the season due to injury.