Border-Gavaskar Trophy: Rohit Sharma's return lifts team's morale, says Nayar

Canberra: In the absence of Head Coach Gautam Gambhir, who has flown back home due to a family emergency and is only likely to return ahead of the second Test in Adelaide, assistant coach Abhishek Nayar was in-charge of India's practice session here on Friday.

All the Indian players took part in the afternoon session which was marked by frequent drizzles while remaining overcast all along. Under the gloomy conditions the pink ball, which will be used for the two-day practice game against Australian PM's XI from Saturday, sparkled, the extra layer of lacquer standing out in the dimming light.

India will be up against the pink ball test in the second Test and, given their past experience in Adelaide in 2020-21, they have a task at hand.

"Whether it's a pink ball or a red ball, the difference is really in the mind," Nayar said if India are slightly on the back foot as they don't play as many D/N Tests as Australia do. "Of course, there is a bit of difference between the two (balls) - the colour is different, there is more lacquer - and we are lucky that we have got six-eight days to get ready. When we were in Perth, too, we were training with the pink ball. Rohit (Sharma) was training (with the pink ball) too. So we have started our preparations. We will continue to focus on our game, and do what we need to do."

Talking of Rohit, the return of the skipper, Nayar felt, lightens the atmosphere in the change room. "When Rohit is around, there's a lot of laughing and joking around. So the morale and the environment is good. The morale is excellent anyway. Rohit wasn't around initially, but he was very much with us (in spirit). So there wasn't much of a difference."

Nayar, however, was non-committal on Rohit's batting position in light of KL Rahul's success at the top of the order.

"I think it's too early for us to think about (batting position)," he said. "We are just going to try and take this game and see how it goes and then maybe come up with plans once we re-channel it."

Given the length of the series, workload management becomes crucial but given the importance of the series, it's also difficult to rest marquee players.  

"I think the good thing is that we've got some rest as well," said Nayar, pointing to the long gaps between Tests. "The first game was over in four days, we got three days after that. Today, the guys didn't get much of a bowl because of the weather and the rain. So we've had enough rest as well. So I think the thought process is always about workload, but the thought process is also about making sure that you are honing your skills, you are still putting your body through the paces. So, we'll obviously sit on that and plan."