Abhishek Nayar Backs Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli Amid Recent Batting Slump
India's assistant coach Abhishek Nayar remains confident in Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, urging patience as they aim to overcome their recent batting struggles. Their challenges, notably against spin, have impacted India's performance in recent ODIs and Tests. Nayar believes their hard work will eventually lead to a return in form.
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India's assistant coach Abhishek Nayar has expressed unwavering confidence in cricket stars Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, despite their ongoing batting difficulties. Speaking candidly, Nayar urged fans and critics to exercise patience as both players work diligently to regain their form. He highlighted their pivotal role in India's recent challenges across all formats, exacerbated during their 2-0 ODI series loss against Sri Lanka. Both batsmen faced notable obstacles against spin.
The struggle to find form has persisted into Test matches, during the Bangladesh series and the two Tests against New Zealand. With New Zealand achieving a historic series win with a 2-0 lead, the spotlight remains on Rohit and Kohli, particularly in their forthcoming performances at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium. Nayar assured that both players are fully committed, suggesting that their return to form is imminent.
"There's no lack of effort," Nayar stated at a press conference. "Be it Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, or newcomer Shubman Gill, everyone is working hard. It's often during such tough phases that even the greatest players face challenges. I am confident we'll soon witness more celebratory performances from Kohli, Sharma, and others. Patience is crucial," he said.
With the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia starting in Perth on November 22, both Rohit and Kohli are determined to find their rhythm. In India's recent 2-0 series triumph over Bangladesh, Rohit managed just 42 runs with an average of 10.50, while Kohli scored a modest 99 runs, averaging 33.00.
The performance of these two veterans has been a hot topic following the Test series against New Zealand. Rohit has accumulated only 62 runs at an average of 15.50, while Kohli has secured 88 runs, including a crucial 70 in the initial Test in Bengaluru. As the third Test kicks off at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium on Friday, the venue where New Zealand's Ajaz Patel remarkably took 10 wickets in an innings, the pressure is palpable. (ANI)
(With inputs from agencies.)
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