“If you are unable to score runs, get out” - Abhishek Nayar on Abhishek Sharma’s knock vs WI

Former Team India assistant coach Abhishek Nayar has stated that it’s fine for the opening batter Abhishek Sharma to get out if he is unable to score runs at a good strike rate initially in the powerplay overs, so that others would come in and explode.

Speaking exclusively on Star Sports, Nayar has reckoned that it would be wise to get out in the powerplay rather than being struck on a run-a-ball knock. Notably, Sharma could score only 10 runs off 11 balls against the West Indies.

"You generally measure it by how quick a start you give, and how you score more runs off fewer balls. That didn't happen, but generally it's said that if you are unable to score runs, get out because the others will get an opportunity. That's the difference in T20 cricket. Shai Hope played the entire powerplay and then got out," Abhishek Nayar said on Star Sports.

"So when Abhishek Sharma got stuck on nine off nine balls, it's fine if he gets out. If he had batted more, the others also wouldn't have gotten a chance, and it's not easy to make a comeback in T20 cricket. Yes, he didn't score runs, but he still batted for the team's benefit because he tried to take the strike rate and run rate up so that the team would win," Nayar added.

Furthermore, the former Indian cricketer also heaped praise on Tilak Varma for his quick cameo in the middle-order. Though Tilak took his own time to settle down, he went hard against the pacer Shamar Joseph to keep India in the chase.

"It was a beautiful knock. He (Tilak Varma) hadn't scored runs in the first three or four balls, but after that, when he started scoring runs in Shamar Joseph's over, it seemed like the team was going to win now," he stated.

"That knock had so much dominance that I felt the pressure on Sanju Samson got reduced. As a set batter, when you have scored 50 runs, you want the batter batting with you to hit fours and sixes so that your job becomes easier," Nayar concluded.

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