Chandrakant Pandit issues an official statement on talks around Abhishek Nayar's future with KKR and team India

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) head coach Chandrakant Pandit opened up about reports suggesting that assistant coach Abhishek Nayar may join the Indian cricket team. Chandrakant Pandit praised Abhishek Nayar for his contributions to the Kolkata Knight Riders over the years in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Gautam Gambhir was recently appointed as the head coach of Team India. The two-time World Cup winner will officially take over the charge during the Indian team's upcoming white-ball series in Sri Lanka. Rahul Dravid guided the Indian cricket team to their long-awaited World Cup title in the Caribbean.

Following Gambhir's appointment, the search for the remaining coaching staff has commenced. Abhishek Nayar might join as the assistant coach. Gambhir has formally requested the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to include Nayar in his support staff team, according to news agency PTI.

The BCCI announced that along with Rahul Dravid's departure, the support staff, including Vikram Rathour, Paras Mhambrey, and T. Dilip, will also be leaving their roles. The board acknowledged their successful tenure and expressed appreciation for their contributions.

"The Board also congratulates Mr Paras Mhambrey (Bowling Coach), Mr. T. Dilip (Fielding Coach) and Mr Vikram Rathour (Batting Coach) on a highly successful tenure. The BCCI values their contribution and wishes them the best going forward," the BCCI said in a statement.

Abhishek Nayar Has Also Done A Great Job With KKR - Chandrakant Pandit

Chandrakant Pandit acknowledged Abhishek Nayar's significant contributions to KKR over the years, emphasizing his value to the team. Pandit expressed support for Nayar potentially exploring new career opportunities.

“This is also in the news. He (Nayar) has also done a great job with KKR for the last few years. He was equally valued to us. If someone gets the opportunity to excel in their career, one should be happy about that,” Pandit said, as quoted by News 18.

Abhishek Nayar has been a mentor and the head of the KKR Academy. His coaching has earned praise from cricketers such as Dinesh Karthik, who credited Nayar for his resurgence as a finisher in top-level cricket. Spinner Varun Chakravarthy also singled out Nayar's contribution after KKR's recent IPL triumph.

Gautam Gambhir was impressed by Abhishek Nayar's role as assistant coach at the Kolkata Knight Riders. Nayar shares a strong relationship with Team India's ODI and Test captain Rohit Sharma. The 40-year-old represented the Men in Blue in three ODIs in 2009 but failed to prolong his international career.

The new coaching staff's first assignment will be the upcoming series against Sri Lanka, comprising three ODIs and three T20Is. India will play the Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) later this year. They will oversee the Champions Trophy 2025, the WTC final 2023-25, the T20 World Cup 2025, and the ODI World Cup 2027.

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