NEW DELHI: India captain Rohit Sharma publicly thanked his long-time friend and personal mentor Abhishek Nayar on Monday, days after the BCCI terminated Nayar’s tenure as the national team’s assistant coach.
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In a heartfelt Instagram post following his unbeaten 76-run knock for Mumbai Indians in the IPL, Rohit shared a photo celebrating his return to form and tagged Nayar with a simple yet powerful message: “Thanks bro @ABHISHEKNAYAR.”
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Rohit and Nayar go back a long way, having played together for Mumbai in domestic cricket. In recent years, whenever Rohit returns home, Nayar has quietly taken on the role of his personal coach, helping the India skipper refine his game through one-on-one sessions.
Nayar’s influence extends well beyond Rohit. KL Rahul, after a match-winning knock for Delhi Capitals, had recently acknowledged Nayar’s support, stating, “Big shoutout to Abhishek Nayar. I’ve worked a lot with him ever since he came into the Indian team.”
Despite his sacking — alongside fielding coach T Dilip and strength and conditioning coach Soham Desai — Nayar has swiftly returned to the IPL circuit. He has rejoined the Kolkata Knight Riders setup, a franchise he previously helped to the IPL title in 2024. Though KKR has yet to officially announce his designation, his quiet but impactful return could once again prove decisive.
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