"I don't agree that he got out to a short ball in Perth" - Abhishek Nayar on Shreyas Iyer's short-ball issues ahead of AUS vs IND 2025 2nd ODI

Former India player Abhishek Nayar has noted that Shreyas Iyer didn't succumb to a short ball in the first ODI against Australia. He highlighted that the middle-order batter got cramped by a seaming delivery around his waist, which he couldn't control.

Shreyas was caught behind down the leg side off a Josh Hazlewood delivery for a 24-ball 11 in the first ODI against Australia in Perth on Sunday, October 19. The Men in Blue lost the match by seven wickets via the DLS method and will hope to bounce back and level the series in the second game in Adelaide on Thursday, October 23.

During an interaction on the Star Sports show 'Game Plan,' Nayar was asked about Shreyas falling prey to a short ball in Perth and whether the right-handed batter would be targeted similarly in Adelaide.

"I don't agree that he got out to a short ball in Perth. I believe it was a good ball because he was cramped. The ball seamed well and came towards his waist, and he couldn't control it. He will also go and think. He also knows it was Perth and we have to go to Adelaide," he responded.

The former India assistant coach noted that Australia might come up with different plans against Shreyas in Adelaide, considering the short side boundaries.

"The side boundaries in Perth are big and they are small in Adelaide. So will they use the short ball? Will they come with the same game plan? These are the match-ups. When you play at the international level, players don't come with the same strategy in every match," Nayar observed.

Abhishek Nayar noted that Mitchell Starc might bowl the first ball full and fast to Shreyas Iyer at the Adelaide Oval. The cricketer-turned-commentator urged his fellow Mumbaikar not to carry any baggage from Perth and instead go and build his memories and experience in Adelaide.

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"The first thing he will be practising is the toss" - Abhishek Nayar on Shubman Gill ahead of AUS vs IND 2025 2nd ODI

Shubman Gill (right) lost the toss in the first ODI against Australia. [P/C: BCCI/X]

On 'Game Plan,' Abhishek Nayar was asked about Shubman Gill's thought process heading into Adelaide after a slightly unfortunate dismissal while batting well in the first ODI against Australia.

"I think the first thing he will be practising is the toss. As a team, we have lost 16 tosses. At Perth, when you lose that toss, the ball seaming around, rain coming, batsmen walking in, walking out, it's never easy. No excuses, but it's never easy for anyone. So start with the toss, get advantage India," he replied.

The analyst added that the senior players and the coaching staff would help Gill and the team stage a comeback after the defeat in Perth.

"As captain, when he went to England, he was tested. The team came back in England as well. So you can expect that with this team. This team has always come back from adversity. It's always going to test him as a captain as well. He has people in the likes of Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer and Gautam Gambhir to help him through that," Nayar elaborated.

To conclude, Abhishek Nayar noted that there can't be a better place than Australia for a leader to stamp his authority and come back from a loss in the first game to win the series.

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Edited by Kartik Iyer