India National Cricket Team assistant coach Abhishek Nayar cleared the air on them making rank turner for the third Test against the New Zealand National Cricket Team. Abhishek Nayar said that they don’t curate the pitches and they just try to play on what is given to them. India National Cricket Team and New Zealand National Cricket Team will be taking on each other in the final game of the three-match Test series. The dead rubber game will be played at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai from 1st November (Friday).
India’s assistant coach Abhishek Nayar has asked the fans to be patient with veteran batters Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma as they are being criticized for poor batting performances in the first two Tests against New Zealand in the ongoing series. India National Cricket Team and New Zealand National Cricket Team will be taking on each other in the final game of the three-match Test series. The dead rubber game will be played at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai from 1st November (Friday).
India has already lost the series vs NZ with the 3rd test now becoming an all important test.
India has already lost the series after they faced two back-to-back losses in the first two games against the New Zealand National Cricket Team in Bengaluru and Pune. But even though the series has already been won by the visitors, the last game holds high importance for the Rohit Sharma-led side.
Notably, India lost their first Test series at home since 2012 as New Zealand handed them a 113-run defeat in the second Test and took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series.
Left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner was the pick of the bowlers for the visitors as he registered his career-best figures of 13/157 as India lost 19 out of the 20 wickets to spin. However, despite their dismal show against the spinners, Abhishek Nayar reckons putting a question mark on the team’s capabilities is quite harsh as they’re pushing themselves out of their comfort zone.
Abhishek Nayar issues clarification on Indian surfaces ahead of IND vs NZ 2024 3rd Test
Team India’s assistant coach Abhishek Nayar has dismissed claims that the management asks for particular type of pitches to be prepared for home Tests. He insisted that the curators prepare surface and the cricketers do the job of playing.
Talks of the Indian team preparing pitches to suit the hosts have gained steam during the ongoing Test series against New Zealand. The first Test in Bengaluru aided seamers, while the second Test in Pune offered plenty to turn. Rohit Sharma and Co. ended up losing both games to concede the three-match series.
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, October 30, ahead of the third Test at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, Nayar dismissed claims that the Indian team has a say in pitch preparations at home. He said (as quoted by PTI):
“I wish we could curate pitches, but we don’t. The curators do. Whatever we’re provided with, we go on and play (whether) that’d be a pitch that seamed or a pitch that turned. As cricketers and as a team, we try and play what we’re provided with. We don’t try and get conditions according to what we want.”
India batted first after winning the toss in Bengaluru but were bundled out for 46. They ended up losing the game by eight wickets. In the second Test, the Kiwis beat India by 113 runs as left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner claimed 13 scalps.
Abhishek Nayar supports Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in their lean run patches
One of the key factors behind India’s shocking loss to New Zealand has been the poor performance of stalwarts Virat Kohli and skipper Rohit. While several fans and critics reckon that their days are numbered, Nayar remains optimistic. Speaking about the lack of runs from the senior duo, he commented:
“Everyone’s worked really hard, everyone wants to do well, whether you’re Virat Kohli or Rohit Sharma or even someone as young as Shubman Gill. The effort is there. The approach is great. I feel they’re putting in the hard yards. Sometimes, you’ve got to be a little patient, even with the greatest of players, and they can have tough times.
“I’m pretty sure sooner rather than later, we’ll have more to praise about Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma and everyone else as well,” Nayar added.
While Rohit has scored 62 runs in four innings, Kohli has managed 88 runs. Both batters have crossed the half-century mark only once in the Test series.
This is because the crucial World Test Championship points are on the line. India, after facing two back-to-back losses, has been jolted with the loss in PCT on the points table. To keep themselves in contention for the final of the tournament, they need to win the last game of the series.
Meanwhile, after losing the series against New Zealand, India’s chances to qualify for the final of the World Test Championship have taken a major hit. The Rohit Sharma-led side will be eager to put their demons against spin behind them and avoid a whitewash on their home soil by winning the last Test at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai beginning from November 1.