Rohit Sharma Blindsided by BCCI’s Decision to Sack Abhishek Nayar: Report Exposes Fractures in Indian Cricket 

In a surprising turn of events, Indian ODI and Test captain Rohit Sharma was reportedly kept in the dark about the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) decision to sack assistant coach Abhishek Nayar, revealing underlying tensions within the team management. 

The move, which also saw fielding coach T. Dilip and strength and conditioning coach Soham Desai exit, has intensified rumors of a rift within Indian cricket.

Nayar, who joined the Indian setup in Gautam Gambhir's regime, was instrumental in supporting key players like Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer, earning praise for his hands-on coaching approach. His tenure, however, was cut short after just eight months, with India’s disappointing 1-3 loss in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 against Australia and a 0-3 home whitewash against New Zealand cited as reasons for the shake-up. 

According to a report by Dainik Jagran, Rohit, who had endorsed Nayar’s appointment, was not consulted before his sacking, a move that has raised eyebrows given the captain’s stature and influence. 

"Abhishek's entry into the Indian team's support staff was done with Rohit's consent, but Rohit was not consulted before removing him," the report read.

A powerful member of the support staff allegedly labeled Nayar’s presence in the dressing room as counterproductive, pointing to leaked dressing room conversations as a point of contention. The appointment of Sitanshu Kotak as batting coach in January 2025 was seen as a deliberate step to sideline Nayar, further fueling speculation of internal power struggles.

"A member of the team management asked, 'If Nayar was so reliable then why the management added Sitanshu Kotak as the batting coach for the England series in January? Even Rohit had agreed on bringing Kotak on board,'" the report added.

Also read: "Gambhir didn't oppose": Shocking revelations come to light amidst Abhishek Nayar's sacking

Rohit Sharma Thanks Abhishek Nayar for IPL Comeback 

Following a match-winning 76 runs off 45 balls for Mumbai Indians (MI) against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the IPL 2025, Rohit took to Instagram, posting a picture with the caption, 

"Thanks bro @abhisheknayar."

This gives us an idea of Rohit's relationship with Nayar. As per reports, Rohit trained under Nayar’s watch during IPL 2025, helping the MI batter to regain his Midas touch.

Abhishek Nayar Rejoins KKR as Assistant Coach

Nayar, meanwhile, has swiftly returned to KKR as an assistant coach, a role he held during their IPL 2024 triumph. 

He was seen in the KKR camp in their previous match against Gujarat Titans (GT) on Monday. KKR is currently in need of a revival, languishing in seventh place on the IPL 2025 points table with three wins and five losses.

Also read: Abhishek Nayar's Contract Cut Short By BCCI: Reports