India’s assistant coach Abhishek Nayar
| Photo Credit: K. Murali Kumar

India’s assistant coach Abhishek Nayar on Wednesday (October 30, 2024) insisted that they do not ask for tailor-made pitches in Tests and also backed out-of-form legends Virat Kohli and skipper Rohit Sharma, saying that they must be given “space and time to come back”.

After copping first-ever Test series loss at home in 12 years, India will strive to salvage their pride when they clash with New Zealand in the third and final Test from Friday (November 1, 2024).

Playing on a track that assisted spinners, India lost the Pune Test by 113 runs. It is being speculated that the pitch at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai could again favour the spinners.

Nayar refuted suggestions that turning tracks are being made at the best of the team.

“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,” Nayar said on eve of of the final Test.

“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.”

Rohit, Kohli in poor form

Both Rohit and Kohli are woefully out of form, and that has impacted team’s performance.

Nayar said there was nothing wrong with the modern-day greats and all they need is just a bit of time and backing.

“I’ve seen nothing but love for them all over. When a top player, when someone who’s been through the journey, goes through a lull, a lot of times it’s about giving them their space and trusting that they will come back. They will put in the work,” he said.

“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, 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. (We need to have) just a bit of patience,” he said.