Published 19:21 IST, August 10th 2023

'Woah, that's a brave question': KKR coach responds to Shubman Gill's exit from KKR

Kolkata Knight Riders assistant coach Abhishek Nayar expressed his take on the infamous Shubman Gill snub and picked India's next permanent finisher

Reported by: Jishu Bhattacharya
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Shubman Gill in action for KKR (Image: BCCI) | Image: self
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The Indian team led by Rohit Sharma is currently busy preparing for the ODI World Cup that is to be played in 2023 and the T20 World Cup to be played in 2024. The Indian team is currently is dealing with a wholesale of injury issues. Superstars such as Rishabh Pant, Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul are at the NCA (National Cricket Academy) and are trying their very best to recover from their respective injuries. Apart from the injury issues, the 'Men in Blue' are dealing with yet another massive problem and it is about identifying a proper finisher.

As far as white ball cricket is concerned, the role of a finisher is a pivotal one and it contributes a lot to a team's success. After MS Dhoni retired from international cricket in 2020, having played his last match in the 2019 ODI World Cup, the Indian outfit has miserably failed to identify a proper finisher. The Indian team management, in the past, extended many opportunities to youngsters but none of them could grab it properly. While speaking to Republic World, KKR's (Kolkata Knight Riders) assistant coach Abhishek Nayar lavished praise on a young cricketer as he feels that he can go a long way and can become the Indian team's permanent finisher.

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3 things you need to know:

  • The next T20 World Cup will be played in 2024
  • India lost to England in the semi-finals of the 2022 T20 World Cup
  • India's only T20 World Cup triumph came in 2007 under the leadership of MS Dhoni

Abhishek Nayar lavishes praise on Rinku Singh the finisher

(Rinku Singh celebrates after hitting the winning six against Gujarat Titans in IPL 2023 / Image: BCCI)

ALSO READ | Indian Batting Sensation Rinku Singh Gives Credit To His IPL Performance For Asian Games Selection

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There are multiple players who can achieve that. There is one player, Rinku Singh who played the role of a finisher really well for KKR (Kolkata Knight Riders) in the 16th edition of the IPL. He has also played that role in domestic cricket, but in my opinion he'll still need some more time, he'll need a longer rope, he needs to be backed. Being a finisher is very tough and you'll have more failures than success while taking that responsibility. It requires a lot of experience. Tilak Varma has proved his mettle up the order and he is terrific at number 4 but the only name that comes to my mind and I say it clearly without any bias is Rinku Singh. I have seen this Indian kid do so well as a finisher. He has this unique capability of going in and consistently hitting big sixes. He is not one of the biggest blokes. He can play that role really well, but he will need that long rope. 

Rinku Singh's stellar IPL 2023

(Rinku Singh in action during IPL 2023 / Image: BCCI)

ALSO READ | Rinku Singh's Checklist: Telling Dad To Take 'rest' And Cricket Hostel For Kids

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The Indian Premier League has always been a breeding ground for youngsters. In the 16th edition of the marquee tournament the Uttar Pradesh based batsman set the IPL stage on fire and amassed a total of 474 runs from 14 matches at an average of 149.52. The youngster stacked up four half-centuries with a best score of 67*. The Indian team management has rewarded Singh for his stellar show in the IPL and has picked him up in the Indian squad for Asian Games 2023.

Abhishek Nayar was also asked about KKR's thought process to let Shubman Gill go before the 2022 IPL mega auctions. The infamous Shubman Gill snub by Kolkata Knight Riders, over the time has become a great topic of debate, but Nayar decided to not comment on the issue.

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ALSO READ | Sachin Tendulkar Shares Throwback Picture With Friends, Netizen Spots Shubman Gill

The KKR assistant coach said:

(Shubman Gill in action for Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2021 / Image: BCCI)

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Woah, that's a brave question. These are very internal matters and they remain within the franchise so I choose not to talk about that.

Abhishek Nayar also picks the next big thing in women's cricket

Apart from his coaching duties with two-time IPL champions Kolkata Knight Riders, Nayar has also started working with the WPL franchise UP Warriorz. The next Women's T20 World Cup will be played in 2024 and will be hosted by Bangladesh. Nayar acknowledged the fact that the next edition of WPL will allow the India women's cricketer to prepare well for the ICC event. The KKR coach picked Kiran Navgire to be selected in the women's squad for the T20 World Cup and deliver big for the Indian team.

16:04 IST, August 10th 2023