Abhishek Nayar, the former Indian all-rounder and ex-assistant coach of the Indian men's team, has been appointed as the head coach of the UP Warriorz ahead of the next edition of the Women's Premier League (WPL). This appointment marks a significant shift for the UP Warriorz, as they aim to build upon their previous performances in the WPL under fresh leadership. Nayar replaces Jon Lewis, who served as the head coach for the past three seasons.
Nayar's appointment comes months after his departure as assistant coach for the Indian men's cricket team. He briefly served as assistant coach for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) during the IPL 2025 season.
The UP Warriorz are confident that Nayar's appointment will bring greater consistency and depth to their preparations. Nayar himself expressed his enthusiasm for the new role, stating, "I really enjoyed my time working with the UP Warriorz before, and I'm thrilled to take on this new role. The 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. UP Warriorz already have a strong foundation in place, and I believe we can build something truly special". He added, "There's incredible potential here, and I will give it my all to help the team win their first-ever title this season".
Nayar brings a wealth of coaching experience to the UP Warriorz. He was appointed lead coach of the Kolkata Knight Riders academy in 2018 and later became part of the KKR senior team's support staff as assistant coach. In 2022, he also took charge as head coach of the Trinbago Knight Riders in the Caribbean Premier League. His time at KKR saw him develop a strong working relationship with Gautam Gambhir, who was the team mentor. Their partnership proved instrumental in KKR's title-winning campaign in IPL 2024. Following Gambhir's appointment as head coach of the Indian men's team, Nayar joined the national setup as assistant coach. However, his stint was cut short, and he later returned to KKR as assistant coach for the IPL 2025 season.
Nayar's coaching abilities have been recognized, with many crediting him for mentoring players such as Shubman Gill, Venkatesh Iyer, and Rinku Singh during his time with KKR. He has also worked individually with several international and uncapped Indian players, helping them refine their skills through focused, one-on-one sessions. He played a pivotal role in unlocking Dinesh Karthik's potential as a finisher in T20 cricket.
Kshemal Waingankar, COO and Director of Cricket at UP Warriorz, expressed his excitement about Nayar's appointment, stating, "Bringing Abhishek Nayar on board as head coach feels like a natural and exciting step forward for UP Warriorz. When someone of Abhishek's calibre 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 added, “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".
While Nayar has not previously coached a women's team, he led a week-long off-season camp with UP Warriorz in August 2023 in Bengaluru.
The UP Warriorz reached the playoffs in WPL 2023 but have not been consistent since. In the most recent season, they finished fifth out of the teams, with three wins and five losses. With Nayar's appointment, the team hopes to take a new direction and build a stronger campaign for their first-ever WPL title.
