UP Warriorz head coach Abhishek Nayar has launched a four-day pre-season training camp at the Sai Krishnan Grounds in Bengaluru as the franchise looks to bounce back from a difficult Women's Premier League (WPL) 2026 campaign, where they won just two of eight matches and finished last on the points table. The camp, which includes players such as Shikha Pandey, Asha Shobhana, G Trisha, and Kiran Navgire, is being conducted ahead of the WPL 2027 season.

Camp Objectives and Key Focus Areas

Nayar outlined that the camp serves a dual purpose: assessing how much progress players have made since individual improvement goals were set at the end of last season, and running trials to identify new talent. Neetu David — former India spinner, ex-chief selector, and the franchise's newly appointed chief scout — is playing a central role in spotting prospects who could strengthen the squad.

'The kind of players that she has identified — some young, good prospects — this is more an opportunity for us to identify and understand which are those players,' Nayar said. Key structural issues the team aims to address include an unstable opening partnership, insufficient batting contributions from Indian players, and inconsistent fielding.

What Nayar Says About Coaching Women Cricketers

Having spent nine years in the Indian Premier League (IPL) ecosystem coaching men's cricket, Nayar described his move to women's cricket as a deliberate personal challenge. He said the contrast in learning appetite between the two formats of the game has been the most striking difference.

'In women's cricket, you just know that everyone is very hungry. You have players who are really aspiring to do well, motivated to make a name for themselves and to take Indian women's cricket to another level,' he said. He noted that in men's cricket, coaches often have to be selective about what they communicate because players have 'heard so much', whereas in women's cricket the eagerness to absorb information is constant and 'truly enriching'.

Nayar also acknowledged that the tactical and mindset adjustments required — from field placements to pressure management — have been a genuine learning curve, one he described as 'thoroughly enjoyable'.

Neetu David's Role and the Talent Pipeline

Nayar was candid that he has spent very little time with Neetu David so far, but expressed enthusiasm about learning from her. David is the fourth-highest wicket-taker in Indian women's international cricket history, and Nayar said her experience of the domestic talent landscape is something he intends to draw on heavily over the camp.

'I am very keen on picking her brains and just understanding from the different perspectives as to what we can do as a team and what I can do as a coach to impact these girls in WPL,' he said. The camp also features fielding coach Saurabh Bandekar and mentor Lisa Sthalekar.

Women's Cricket Growth and What Comes Next

Nayar pointed to visible improvements in fitness, ball speed, and overall skill level among domestic players compared to the previous year's trials, crediting the WPL and state league exposure for accelerating development. He predicted that in the coming years, Indian women cricketers will 'hit bigger sixes, hit more reverse sweeps' and bowlers will 'bowl a lot quicker than they are now'.

On the franchise's off-season structure, Nayar said UP Warriorz owner Jinisha Sharma and former COO Kshemal Waingankar have long prioritised individual player growth, sometimes independently of immediate team benefit. Follow-up camps in Mumbai are planned once the monsoon eases, with continuity and a year-round support system at the core of the team's preparation philosophy. The WPL 2027 season will be the first real test of whether this approach can reverse the franchise's fortunes.