Former New Zealand quick Simon Doull has questioned the coaching impact of Kolkata Knight Riders head coach Abhishek Nayar after KKR’s bad run in IPL 2026 stretched further. The two-time champions slumped to a five-wicket defeat against Gujarat Titans, marking their fifth loss in just six games in the tournament this season.
Quick facts
- KKR suffered a five-wicket loss to Gujarat Titans in IPL 2026.
- It was KKR’s fifth defeat in six matches in the competition this year.
- Abhishek Nayar took charge of KKR ahead of IPL 2026 after Chandrakant Pandit’s departure.
- Doull said Nayar’s franchise coaching record has looked “pretty average” overall.
- Doull cited Nayar’s IPL start as winless in the first five matches, with KKR sitting 10th at the time of the comments.
- Doull also referenced Nayar finishing last with KKR’s WPL and CPL stints: last place in the WPL and last place in the CPL.
Nayar was appointed as KKR’s coach before the new campaign after Chandrakant Pandit stepped away from the role. Before stepping up, he worked as an assistant coach within the franchise during a period when Gautam Gambhir was operating as mentor.
Doull’s critique was blunt, focusing on how Nayar’s results have played out across franchise setups. He suggested that Nayar’s strengths may not translate well to a full-team environment, even if there are signs of improvement in specific areas.
Speaking on Cricbuzz, Doull asked whether Nayar’s effectiveness is more about individual development than collective planning. “Is his strength more individual coaching, rather than in a team environment?” he said.
Doull then compared Nayar’s numbers across teams, arguing that the overall record has not reached the standard expected from a head coach. “When you look at his numbers across teams he’s been in charge of, they’re pretty average,” Doull added, adding that from a head-coaching perspective the outcomes have been “pretty poor,” despite moments of success.
To underline his point, Doull referenced Nayar’s early IPL spell, noting that KKR had gone winless in their opening five matches and were sitting 10th at the time. He also brought up outcomes from other franchise leagues, saying Nayar finished last in the WPL and last in the CPL.
WPL and CPL record questioned
Nayar has previously held head-coaching roles in the Women’s Premier League and the Caribbean Premier League. He was the head coach of UP Warriorz in the WPL and also coached the Trinbago Knight Riders in the CPL.
Doull said both stints ended in disappointment, and suggested that the pattern may point to a coaching style that suits individual work more than managing a group. He noted that players have sought out Nayar for batting advice, and wondered whether that niche focus is what has produced the most visible gains.
“What you find is that certain individuals in India, without naming names, go to him from a batting coaching point of view because they think he has something to offer, and he’s had success from that point of view,” Doull said.
He then contrasted that with team responsibilities such as planning, structural clarity, and leadership inside the dressing room. “So, he is a very good coach of individual players and can work one-on-one with them, but struggles in a team environment,” Doull explained, pointing to potential shortcomings in areas like planning, structure, and commanding a dressing room.
Doull also argued that this is not a rare skillset in modern franchise cricket, implying that teams need more than specialist one-on-one coaching. “Because there are a lot of other players or coaches like that,” he said, before adding: “He’s not the lone ranger, but maybe that’s one of the issues.”
