Kolkata Knight Riders Gear Up for IPL 2026 with Motivational Training
KKR's First Practice Session at Eden Gardens
Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], March 18: The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) commenced their training for the IPL 2026 season under the guidance of head coach Abhishek Nayar at Eden Gardens on Wednesday. Nayar kicked off the session with an inspiring talk aimed at energizing the team.
Focusing on cultivating the right mindset, Nayar emphasized that each practice session is designed to mentally prepare the players for victory, as they aim to clinch their fourth IPL title. Their opening match is scheduled for March 29 against the Mumbai Indians, who have won the tournament five times.
“We have honed our skills over the last few months and engaged in extensive discussions. The key now is to adjust our mental approach. Our skills are established and won’t change in the next ten days, but our mentality can. Every moment spent here is about one goal: to win and earn that fourth star. We must prepare our minds before our bodies step onto the field for the first game,” Nayar stated, as reported by KKR Knight Club.
He further added, “This time is crucial for us to communicate, strengthen our bond as a team, and enjoy the process.”
Nayar also expressed enthusiasm about welcoming new assistant coach Shane Watson, highlighting his wealth of experience and encouraging players to learn from him.
“Shane Watson is well-known for his playing career, but I have also had the privilege of playing under him. I’m thrilled to have you on board, Watto. Your presence has already made a positive impact, and I encourage everyone to leverage your expertise. We’ve had excellent coaches, but I believe Shane will bring significant value to our team. Welcome to the KKR family,” Nayar remarked.
The full squad for Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2026 includes: Ajinkya Rahane, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Anukul Roy, Harshit Rana, Manish Pandey, Ramandeep Singh, Rinku Singh, Rovman Powell, Sunil Narine, Umran Malik, Vaibhav Arora, Varun Chakaravarthy, Cameron Green, Finn Allen, Matheesha Pathirana, Tejasvi Singh, Kartik Tyagi, Prashant Solanki, Rahul Tripathi, Tim Seifert, Blessing Muzarabani, Sarthak Ranjan, Daksh Kamra, Rachin Ravindra, Akash Deep.