IND vs NZ: "The effort is there.." Assistant coach Abhishek Nayar asks fans to be patient with Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli's form

Rohit Sharma has scored only 62 runs in two tests against New Zealand.

Ahead of the third IND vs NZ test in Mumbai, India assistant coach Abhishek Nayar threw his weight behind the senior duo of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli who have come under scrutiny following their disappointing performances with the bat in the first two tests.

Losses in Bengaluru and Pune meant that New Zealand registered their maiden test series win in India. It also meant that India’s winning streak at home which spanned 12 years and 18 consecutive series suffered a shocking end.

One of the big reasons for these losses were the inconsistency of Rohit and Kohli. In four innings, Sharma scored only 62 runs and Kohli scored 88. Both the batsmen hit one fifty in four knocks but failed to convert them into a big one, and suffered abject failures in the rest of their three knocks, allowing the Kiwis to pounce.

Their underwhelming form and the series loss have put the fans in concern ahead of the five-test series in Australia, starting on November 22.

Even great players can have tough times: Abhishek Nayar

India will next face the Kiwis at the Wankhede stadium in Mumbai, where the Asian giants will look to avoid a first-ever whitewash in a home series of three of more matches.

A couple of days before the game, Nayar said that the fans need to be patient with Rohit and Kohli. Nayar hailed the pair for having put in the hard work and the effort off the field, and trusts them to soon turn around their form.

Nayar was quoted by PTI as saying, “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.”

“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. 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.”

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