Abhishek Nayar decides not to renew contract with Pondicherry for 2019-20 Ranji season
Former India batsman Abhishek Nayar, who turned for Puducherry in the 2018-19 domestic season, has decided not to renew his contract with the team for the upcoming season. Currently, the Mumbaikar is contemplating his future plans and will reveal it before the domestic season starts.
After turning up for 99 first-class matches for Mumbai and West Zone and some India A matches in between, Nayar played his landmark 100th Test against Meghalaya last year, and although he acted as the team’s unofficial mentor, he had already declared his desire of not leading the side as it might bring about instability within the team once he decided to leave.
Meanwhile, as the 2019-20 domestic season approaches, Nayar, in a conversation with Sportscafe, has made it clear that he wouldn’t be turning up for Pondicherry - not as a mentor or player - and is still contemplating his future. Nayar, who is also heading Kolkata Knight Riders' Academy coaching unit, will also have his hands full as a coach once the rainy season subsidies.
Meanwhile, sources close to SportsCafe also informed that Pankaj Singh and Paras Dogra will continue playing as professionals for Puducherry while former Tamil Nadu batsman KB Arun Karthik, who played for Kerala last season, will be the third professional in the team - a place that had gone to Nayar in the last season.