SL vs Ind 2024 - Abhishek Nayar: 'In these circumstances the sport can activate its head'

Dropping a match to this Sri Lanka was a shock, positive. However the circumstances additionally made for fickle cricket. Abhishek Nayar, India’s assistant coach, has, like the remainder of us, not watched Sri Lanka take many video games off India recently. However these had been his takeaways from the second ODI, which India misplaced by 32 runs.

He additionally pointed to opposition spinner Jeffrey Vandersay’s wonderful lengths, and Sri Lanka’s tenacious decrease order batting as causes for the defeat. For the second match in a row, the pitch took substantial flip, enabling even less-proficient spin bowlers to turn into threats.

“Was it a shock? I’d say sure, there’s a shock,” Nayar stated. “However you anticipate and perceive that in these circumstances the sport can activate its head as a result of there’s a lot spin on provide.

“Even for those who have a look at the final sport, it was comparatively simple to attain towards the brand new ball. Because the ball acquired older, the circumstances when batting second acquired barely harder. Generally in robust circumstances, particularly within the 50-over format, this occurs.

“We need to return and perceive, and rectify, why it occurred twice in a row. The day earlier than yesterday, we had been capable of sew partnerships. However at the moment we misplaced fairly just a few wickets in a bundle.”

That bundle of wickets got here between overs 14 and 24, when India misplaced their six wickets – all towards Vandersay – for 50 runs. Vandersay had the ball turning massive from the outset, as a lot of India’s spinners additionally did. However he bowled tight traces too, and stored batters pinned within the crease together with his lengths and flight.

“They bowled properly – I believe Vandersay bowled the best size in these circumstances,” Nayar stated. “In such circumstances, when the ball is popping – and the best way Vandersay bowled at the moment, used his finger, and bowled stump to stump – you get these phases when there’s help from the pitch. I really feel at the moment we must always give extra credit score to Sri Lanka.”

When batting, Sri Lanka had been 136 for six, and doubtlessly taking a look at a rating below 200. However for the second match in a row, Dunith Wellalage produced arguably Sri Lanka’s greatest innings, hitting 39 off 35 balls from No. 7. Then Kamindu Mendis, a batting allrounder who often bats as excessive as No. 4, additionally struck 40 off 44 at No. 8. Sri Lanka clambered their means as much as 240 for 9, which at all times appeared a critical rating on this pitch.

“When you’re batting first, there’s much less strain,” Nayar stated. “When you’re chasing, the strain is extra as a result of you must regulate the run fee, wickets. Everytime you bat first, you usually have partnerships. Wellalage batted very well, each within the final sport and this sport. They scored vital runs within the decrease order.”

India’s personal mixing up of their batting order – Shivam Dube pushed as much as No. 4, Shreyas Iyer all the way down to No. 6, and KL Rahul at No. 7 – Nayar didn’t imagine was particularly radical. Safeguarding a left-right combo on the crease was what they had been attempting.

“My perception is that in any sport, place solely issues for those who’re taking part in in several areas of a sport. We misplaced wickets within the center section, and that is the place the center order batters batted. It is not as if center order batters batted in the direction of the top.

“For those who have a look at numbers like 4, 5, or six, perhaps generally it may play video games in your head. It was extra about preserving a left-and-right mixture, preserving in thoughts that there have been offspinners, and a legspinner within the Sri Lanka group.

“The thought course of was proper. When it does not work out, these questions are requested usually. However I’ve at all times believed that if a center order batter bats as a center order batter, it’s the proper resolution.”

Andrew Fidel Fernando is a senior author at ESPNcricinfo. @afidelf

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