‘KKR feels like family’ – Abhishek Nayar on emotional bond with Knight Riders

"Everyone throws his weight way too much around the fact that it’s family, but for me, I think it’s family because the speed at which I came back [to the team]," he remarked.

With his first full-time head coaching position in the Women’s Premier League, former India assistant coach Abhishek Nayar is about to embark on a new chapter in his coaching career. Nayar has joined the UP Warriorz, a team that hasn’t won a WPL championship, as head coach after leaving the Indian team setup.

Months before the tournament’s next edition, the former KKR batting coach spoke about previous events following his employment. When asked about his return to the KKR setup, which took place before his departure from the Indian squad was formally announced, Abhishek Nayar said that the team has always felt like home to him.

“KKR is my family.” Everyone overemphasises the importance of family, but in my opinion, it’s family because of how quickly I returned to the team, which is evidence that I belong there in many respects, Abhishek Nayar stated, as reported by India Today.

The former cricket player will lead a senior side in Indian cricket full-time for the first time in his coaching career.

Abhishek Nayar characterised the chance to play in the WPL as a thrilling new challenge that he is ready to take on.

“I’ve always seen everything as an opportunity, and in that sense, I’m really, really thrilled about this one. The chance is to establish a culture in which everyone knows that the franchise competes to win awards, and we can work to instill that mindset throughout our ecosystem,” Abhishek Nayar stated.

Ahead of the 2019 season of the prestigious women’s tournament, Abhishek Nayar outlined some of the major shifts he has seen in the Indian women’s cricket scene as he gets ready to assume a major position in the UP Warriorz setup.

The WPL will have an effect on both domestic and international cricket in India. Compared to the first year of a WPL trial, when I thought many people were more touch players, this is a huge change. There is a lot more strength entering the game now. The girls can be seen jumping around, and their throws are faster and flatter. He came to the conclusion, “There is tremendous growth and that will not stop.”