Former India assistant coach Abhishek Nayar discussed the management of Jasprit Bumrah’s workload and suggested resting him for the second Test against the West Indies, scheduled to begin on Friday in New Delhi.
Nayar also commented on KL Rahul’s playing style, Dhruv Jurel’s maturity, Kuldeep Yadav’s impact, Yashasvi Jaiswal’s determination, and the opportunities available to Sai Sudharsan.
The selectors have rested Bumrah from the ODIs for the upcoming white-ball tour of Australia and included him only in the T20I squad. Speaking to JioStar, Nayar emphasised the importance of managing Bumrah’s workload and explained why he should not play the final Test against the West Indies.
“I think Bumrah is going to play this Test. The way the team has been
selected without Bumrah for the ODI series against Australia, it seems India wants to win this Test against the West Indies with a good margin, which is important for the WTC. Personally, I believe Bumrah should be rested because he’s extremely valuable. After this series, we have another Test series and then the T20 World Cup. I’d like to see him get some rest, but it looks like he won’t and will play this match,” he said.
KL Knows Delhi
Rahul scored a century in the first Test at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad and will be keen to repeat the performance. Nayar remarked, “KL Rahul knows the Delhi pitch well and has scored over 500 runs in the IPL. The biggest change in him isn’t technical but his approach; he’s playing with more intent now. Even though he scored a century in the last match after nine years, he looked disappointed, knowing he could have scored 150–200. That hunger will not stop. Once KL gets going, he doesn’t stop.”
Jurel Belongs
Jurel also scored a century against the West Indies. Nayar believes the wicketkeeper-batter is naturally suited for Test cricket and praised his style of scoring runs.
“There are many players in India who score runs, but how you make those runs matters. In the first match, Dhruv Jurel impressed everyone with his control and technique. He made you believe he was born for Test-level cricket. When you score runs like that, pleasing to the eye, a 60, 70, or 80 gives you and everyone around you the confidence that you belong at this level,” Nayar said.
Kuldeep Will Enjoy Delhi
Kuldeep made a significant impact by taking two wickets in each innings, contributing to India’s victory by an innings and 140 runs.
“Kuldeep will enjoy playing in Delhi. He loves playing here. In fact, it was in Delhi that his IPL career really took off. The skid he gets here makes him more effective on this pitch. He needs to make an impact this Test season and in the upcoming South Africa matches. If any foreign team comes to India, Kuldeep Yadav should definitely play,” Nayar said.
Jaiswal Will Score More
In the only innings that India played, Jaiswal scored a 54-ball 36 but looked in great form with seven boundaries. Nayar is confident that the young player will perform well in the second game.
“According to me, Jaiswal will score the most runs in this Test. He’s that kind of player; once he gets going, he’s unstoppable. He couldn’t score big in the first Test, so he’ll be hungry. He’s seen everyone else make runs, and he must be thinking, in the next five days, I’ll play a big innings.”
Sudharsan Position Under Scanner
Sai Sudharsan also did not impress, scoring only seven runs from 19 deliveries. Nayar mentioned the importance of the opportunities given to Sudharsan.
“Sai Sudharsan won’t get a better chance than this. This will be a good batting pitch with not much bounce. It’s a fast outfield and a small ground, so if he doesn’t make runs now, questions will definitely arise. Especially when Dhruv Jurel, as a wicketkeeper-batsman, has played well. When Rishabh Pant returns, the one position in this team that could come under scrutiny is Sai Sudharsan’s. He’ll know this innings is crucial for him and he’ll want to make it count.”
India and the West Indies will face off at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi for the second and final Test of the series.
(With inputs from IANS)
