"Questions will definitely be asked if you don't score runs against this team now" - Abhishek Nayar on young batter ahead of IND vs WI 2025 2nd Test

Former India player Abhishek Nayar has opined that Sai Sudharsan has a great opportunity to be among the runs in the second Test against the West Indies. He noted that questions will be asked about the youngster's place in the Indian team if he doesn't score runs in the likely batting-friendly conditions in Delhi.

The second Test between India and the West Indies is scheduled to start at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on Friday, October 10. Sudharsan scored a paltry seven runs in his only knock in the hosts' innings-and-140-runs win in the first Test at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad last week.

During an interaction on the Star Sports show 'Game Plan,' Nayar was asked about the Delhi Test being a big game for Sudharsan.

"He won't get a better opportunity than this. This will be a good pitch. There won't be much bounce, the outfield will be fast, and the ground is small. Questions will definitely be asked if you don't score runs against this team now, especially when Dhruv Jurel is playing in this team as a wicketkeeper-batter, and he scored a century," he responded.

The former India assistant coach highlighted that Sudharsan's place in the XI might come under question once Rishabh Pant returns.

"When Rishabh Pant returns, the one position in this team you can question is Sai Sudharsan's position. So he knows he has to score runs and this inning will be extremely crucial for him," Nayar observed.

Sai Sudharsan has aggregated 147 runs at an average of 21.00 in four Tests. A 61-run knock in India's first innings of the fourth Test against England in Manchester earlier this year has been his only half-century in seven hits.

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"Everyone's focus is on how you score runs" - Abhishek Nayar on Dhruv Jurel ahead of IND vs WI 2025 2nd Test

Dhruv Jurel scored a century in the first Test against the West Indies. [P/C: BCCI]

In the same interaction, Abhishek Nayar was asked whether Dhruv Jurel would want to solidify his case of playing as a pure batter, if required, by scoring runs again in the Delhi Test.

"Many batters score runs in India. However, everyone's focus is on how you score runs, and Dhruv Jurel impressed everyone in this (last) match. The control and technique with which he scored runs give you confidence that he is born for this Test level of cricket," he replied.

The former India all-rounder highlighted that Jurel's pleasing century in the Ahmedabad Test proved his credentials as a Test batter.

"Once you score runs like this, runs that are pleasing to the eye, after that, even if you score 60 to 80 runs, you give the confidence that you belong here," Nayar observed.

Dhruv Jurel scored 125 runs off 210 balls in India's only innings in the Ahmedabad Test. Shubman Gill and company could consider playing him as a specialist batter, once Rishabh Pant returns to the XI, if the 24-year-old continues to be among the runs.

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Edited by Kartik Iyer