Melbourne [Australia], December 26: India’s challenge in retaining the Border-Gavaskar Trophy has been compounded by the recent struggles of senior batters Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, according to the ICC.
Rohit, the Indian captain, has managed only 152 runs in his last 13 Test innings, while Kohli’s only significant score in the past 15 innings is a century in Perth, with just one other half-century to his name.
However, Indian assistant coach Abhishek Nayar believes that both players can regain their best form with confidence and composure, particularly in the early stages of their innings. “I always believe it’s about having that confidence and getting off to a good start. If they get that, their game looks different. I believe both Rohit and Virat are the kind of players who, if they face 25-30 deliveries, will quickly return to their usual form,” he said after the first day’s play in Melbourne, as quoted by ICC.
Nayar echoed Rohit’s confidence, which was expressed ahead of the fourth Test, that Kohli will regain his form soon. “As Rohit said, discussions with experienced players usually centre around their focus and game plan. Every player has their weaknesses and will get dismissed in certain ways. The key is ensuring they’re in the right zone to score runs,” Nayar added.
In a surprise change to India’s lineup for the Boxing Day Test, Shubman Gill was dropped, with Rohit Sharma returning to the top of the batting order. Nayar explained that the decision was made to strengthen India’s bowling attack. “We felt that in these conditions, looking at the pitch, having Washi (Washington Sundar) in the bowling attack would provide variations, especially towards the end once the ball gets old,” Nayar said.
He added that the inclusion of Washington Sundar was meant to bolster the bowling department, particularly as Travis Head and Alex Carey had been scoring well lower down the order for Australia.
Australia capitalized on their decision to bat first, with early contributions from both openers, including debutant Sam Konstas, who scored an impressive 60. Konstas, in particular, took the attack to India’s pace spearhead, Jasprit Bumrah.
While Nayar praised Konstas for his debut performance, he also commended India’s bowlers for their resilience later in the day, as they managed to dismiss six Australian batters by stumps. “A lot of credit goes to the way Sam played. The intent he showed in the first few overs put us on the back foot. But I felt our bowlers showed great character to stay in the fight,” Nayar remarked.
He acknowledged that the conditions weren’t easy for bowlers, but praised the team for sticking to their plans. “It wasn’t the easiest of conditions to bowl in; they were favourable for batting. At times like these, it’s crucial to stick to your plans. I felt we came back strongly post-lunch, bowling maidens and applying pressure,” he said.
Nayar also noted that while Konstas’ knock caught them off guard, India responded well and reaped the rewards later in the day. “Occasionally, you’re caught off guard when someone plays a knock like that. But I think we responded well, kept at it throughout the day, and reaped the rewards towards the end. Overall, we’re pleased with where we ended the day,” he concluded.