Nayar emphasizes Vandarsay's significant bowling performance in India's unexpected defeat to Sri Lanka

Colombo [Sri Lanka], August 5 India's assistant coach, Abhishek Nayar, acknowledged that it is uncommon for Sri Lanka to defeat India in recent times, but noted that the challenging conditions significantly influenced the match's outcome.

India lost by 32 runs to Sri Lanka in the 2nd ODI of their three-match series at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Sunday.

In the post-match press conference, Nayar praised Sri Lankan spinner Jeffrey Vandarsay for his impressive performance. Vandarsay's precise length and effective use of spin were crucial, as he bowled stump-to-stump in conditions that favored spin.

"They bowled well, and Vandarsay in particular bowled the ideal length for these conditions. When the ball is turning, the way Vandarsay bowled today, using his finger to bowl stump-to-stump, was impressive. You get these phases when the pitch assists the bowlers. We should give credit to Sri Lanka for their performance," Nayar said, as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.

Nayar expressed surprise at the loss and emphasized the need to analyze and address the issues that led to back-to-back defeats. He noted that while India had built partnerships in the first game, they struggled with losing wickets in quick succession in this match.

"Was it a shock? Yes, it was surprising. In these conditions, the game can change quickly due to the amount of spin. The previous game saw easier scoring against the new ball, but conditions became tougher as the ball aged. In 50-over cricket, such fluctuations can happen. We need to understand and rectify why we faced similar issues in consecutive matches. We had partnerships in the first game but lost several wickets in quick succession today," Nayar added.

He also discussed the role of players in different phases of the game, stating that the position of a player matters only when they perform in various stages of the match.

Nayar explained that the team's loss was attributed to the middle-order batters losing wickets during the crucial middle phase of the innings.

"My belief is that a player's position is significant based on their performance in different phases of the game. We lost wickets during the middle phase, which is when the middle-order batters were at the crease. It's not about the position but about how players perform in their designated phases," Nayar said.

He concluded that while the strategy was sound, the outcomes did not align with expectations. Nayar maintained that having middle-order batters play in their designated phase was the correct decision, even though it faced scrutiny when results fell short.