SL vs Ind 2024 – Abhishek Nayar: ‘In these conditions the game can turn heads’

“Was it scary? I would like to, yes, there is a surprise,” said Nayar. “But you expect and understand that in these situations the game can turn because there is a lot on offer.

“Even if you look at the last game, it was easy to score against the new ball. As the ball gets bigger, the situations where the second strike becomes more difficult. Sometimes in difficult situations, especially in the 50-over format, this happens.

“We want to go back and understand, correct, why it happened twice in a row. Yesterday, we were able to put together partnerships. But today we lost a few wickets in a lot.”

That number of wickets came between the 14th and 24th overs, when India lost six wickets – all against Vandersay – for 50 runs. Vandersay had the ball turning big from the start, as many of India’s spinners do. But he too bowled hard lines, and kept the batsmen pinned to the crease with his length and flight.

“They bowled well – I think Vandersay bowled the right length in these conditions,” Nayar said. “In situations like that, when the ball turns – and the way Vandersay bowled today, he used his finger, and the bowled stump to explode – you get these stages when there’s help from the field. I feel today we have to give more credit to Sri. Lanka.”

“When you bat first, there is less pressure,” said Nayar. “When you chase, the pressure becomes bigger because you have to keep an eye on the run rate, the wickets. Whenever you bat first, you tend to have partnerships. Wellala batted very well in the last game and in this game. They scored a goal. The important thing is running in a low way.”

“My belief is that in any game position is only important if you play in different areas of the game. We lost wickets in the middle order, that’s where the middle order batsmen batted. It’s not like the middle order batsmen batted at the top. It’s the end.

“If you look at numbers like four, five, or six, maybe sometimes they can play games in your head. It was about keeping a combination of left and right, you remember that there were offspinners, and legspinner Sri Lanka team.

“The thought process was right. If it doesn’t work, these questions are always asked. But I have always believed that if the middle order bats like a middle order batter, it is the right decision.”