Abhishek Nayar Replaces Jon Lewis as UP Warriorz Head Coach. UP Warriorz have named Abhishek Nayar as their new head coach ahead of the upcoming Women’s Premier League (WPL) season. He takes over from Jon Lewis, who led the team for the past three editions.
Since retiring from professional cricket in 2019, Nayar has built a solid coaching resume. He was part of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) support staff from 2018 through the 2024 season.
Earlier, Nayar had joined the Indian men’s national team as assistant coach under Gautam Gambhir but his stint lasted less than a year. He later returned to the KKR camp as assistant coach for IPL 2025.
UP Warriorz Appoint Abhishek Nayar as Head Coach Ahead of New WPL Season
UP Warriorz director and COO Kshemal Waingankar has officially welcomed Abhishek Nayar as the team’s new head coach. “Having Abhishek Nayar on board is a natural and exciting progression for us,” Waingankar said. “When a coach of his calibre became available, it was an easy decision. Very few in Indian cricket possess his depth of experience in developing players and building winning team cultures.”
Abhishek Nayar, known for his strong influence on Indian cricket’s current generation, has played a key role in the development of several top batters, including Dinesh Karthik, Rohit Sharma, Shreyas Iyer, Venkatesh Iyer, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, and KL Rahul.
Despite his appointment, UP Warriorz have yet to taste WPL glory. In the 2025 season, they ended at the bottom of the table with just six points, winning three of their eight games. Deepti Sharma captained the side after Alyssa Healy was sidelined due to injury.
