Former India assistant coach Abhishek Nayar revealed how he played a pivotal role in bringing out a more aggressive KL Rahul in the recent past. The batter has been in impressive form over the last six months, from Australia, to Champions Trophy to IPL 2025 and now in England. Nayar, who was axed earlier this year, claimed that it took him hours and hours of conversation with Rahul to make him accept that he needed some tactical change.
How Nayar changed KL Rahul on Rohit Sharma’s request
In an interview with ESPNCricinfo, Nayar explained that then captain Rohit Sharma wanted the assistant coach to bring out a more aggressive of Rahul in terms of playing such a brand of cricket. He said that Sharma had believed that the Karnataka batter will play a major role in India’s campaigns that lay ahead.
“When I first picked up that role, I remember I had a conversation with Rohit, and he said that one of the things he was really keen on me doing was working with KL and bringing out a more aggressive outlook to how KL played the game, and bringing the best out of him. Because he believed strongly that KL would play a major role in the Champions Trophy, World Cup and everything going forward including the BGT and the Tests in England,” Nayar revealed.
The start of Nayar-Rahul bond
Nayar said that Rahul knew that the series agianst Australia was crucial as he failures in the tour meant he would start worrying about his career. What the ex-coach is referring to is when Rahul failed in the 1st Test against New Zealand and was then dropped for the next two games. He said Rahul and himself had hours and hours of conversation as Nayar was convincing him to change his tactics and trust him as it was completely different from what he believed in.
“He spoke about what he’s been doing and what worked for him in the past. And then I had a certain thought process, which was very different from his. Over hours and hours of conversation and trying to make him understand where I came from, eventually I got him to a place where he sort of trusted me to do certain things with him in regards to how he practises, in regards to trusting certain changes in his tactics, in regards to his stance, where he stands in the crease, what guard he takes,” Nayar said.
“It’s music to me now”
Nayar said that Rahul’s beliviability in himself grew immensely after his knocks in the 1st Test against Australia. The batter reportedly told him that playing the sport was like music to him now.
“That was the moment the glue stuck. He really enjoyed that knock. He told me, listen, I feel like I am just watching and playing. It’s music to me now, playing the sport,” Nayar added.
How Rohit Sharma’s request made Abhishek Nayar to “bring out more aggressive” KL Rahul Inside Sport India.
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