Abhishek Nayar has been a busy man of late, spending the first half of his day developing his skills on different pitches, and the second half honing his fitness at the National Cricket Academy gymnasium in Bangalore. Weeks after walking on to the field as part of Team India, the 25-year old Mumbai all-rounder finds himself, once again, amongst the Emerging players squad that will play a tournament in Australia.

Nayar’s is a curious case: He has featured in two one-day internationals, both against the West Indies recently, but is yet to register any relevant statistic against his name. He didn’t get to bat in either game, didn’t need to bowl, and wasn’t even involved in a catch or run-out while fielding. He was tipped to bat at No 7 in the third ODI, which India won by six wickets, while the fourth game was washed out after just 7.3 overs.

Unfortunately for him, there’s no immediate guarantee of a Team India return either. With Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag and Rahul Dravid all set to return to the fold, the wait on the sidelines could be a long one. But Nayar isn’t perturbed.

“I think I am the only one at least in this category,” Nayar told The Indian Express. “It’s strange that I didn’t get to bat or bowl in the two matches I played but I learnt a lot in the dressing room. And, let’s not forget, nobody can take away the fact that I have represented India. I am better off than many players who didn’t get to play at all, and at the same time, I am confident that I will get an opportunity to show my skills in the future and register some good numbers against my name.”

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