Former India assistant coach Abhishek Nayar believes Rohit Sharma’s return for the three-match ODI series against England will strengthen India’s batting unit.
With India welcoming back several senior players after the T20I leg of the tour, Nayar opined that Rohit’s experience and proven success against short-pitch bowling would make an immediate impact.
“In the T20 series as well, one of the biggest challenges for the Indian batters was the short ball. Rohit Sharma is someone who actually feeds off it and scores heavily against short-pitched bowling. When you do well in SENA countries and overseas, it’s partly because you can handle pace well and score runs against the short ball, and that’s exactly what India will get from both Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma,” Nayar told JioStar.
The former India assistant coach feels Rohit’s presence alone could compel England to alter their bowling plans, as he said, “England will have to change their strategy and bowl differently to them. That’s what top players do; they don’t change the way they play, they make the opposition change the way, they target them. India will certainly enjoy having Rohit Sharma back, and when you go into big series and major tournaments, that experience gives you the comfort and confidence you need.”
Nayar also stressed the importance of Jasprit Bumrah’s comeback and backed Kuldeep Yadav to thrive in English conditions if given a consistent run in the side.
The former all-rounder welcomed Bumrah’s return to India’s ODI setup, stressing that the fast bowler’s experience would help him manage the transition back to 50-over cricket after a long absence.
“With experience, you understand how to manage your workload. I’m sure he will be bowling, monitoring his overs, and gradually building up his fitness and conditioning to bowl those 10 overs. The kind of skill set Jasprit Bumrah has is invaluable in the longer formats and in 50-over cricket, where you can bowl in spells know when to increase your pace and when to use your slower balls, which are very effective.
“That’s the beauty of Bumrah; he knows how to elevate his game. He played the entire IPL, so he has been building up towards this. With Bumrah, you just want to manage him carefully. Even across these three games, you would ideally want him to play no more than two,” he mentioned.
Nayar also threw his weight behind Kuldeep Yadav, saying England’s conditions could help the left-arm wrist-spinner rediscover his best form.
“Kuldeep has done well when he’s got the pace of the pitch to work with. Even though he didn’t have a great IPL, one thing I’ve really enjoyed seeing about Kuldeep Yadav is that he has learned to vary his pace,” he said.
He added that confidence from the team management would be key to extracting the best from the spinner, stating, “There was a time when he was bowling quicker and not tossing the ball up enough, but he has found the right balance now. I feel the conditions in England will suit him because when he gets that pace off the surface, he becomes even more dangerous.
“The only thing I’m concerned about is how much security you can give Kuldeep Yadav. For any spinner, it’s important to have that security, to know where you stand and how the team plans to use you. If he starts, I believe he should get a consistent run in the Indian team.”
