Heading into the fourth Test match against Australia in Melbourne On Thursday, India dropped Shubman Gill and brought in Washington Sundar. The decision came as a surprise but Indian assistant coach Abhishek Nayar explained the reason behind the decision.
“It's pretty obvious that we felt in these conditions, looking at the pitch, having Washi (Washington Sundar) in the bowling attack will give us variations, especially towards the end once the ball gets old. That was an area we wanted to get better at. We felt that Washi could give us that solidity with Jaddu. Especially the way Travis Head and Alex Carey were getting the runs lower down the order," Nayar said during the press conference after day one's play.
Meanwhile, the overriding concern for team India in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia has been the poor form of veteran batters Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, who both are yet to make any impact in the series. Their recent struggle with form has also cost India tremendously, but Indian assistant coach Abhishek Nayar is of the view that with Rohit and Kohli, it's just about regaining confidence and having a solid start.
“I always believe that it’s about having that confidence and getting a good start. If they get that, their game looks different. I believe both Rohit and Virat are the kind of players that if they face 25-30 deliveries, you’ll see them back in their usual form,” Nayar said.