Abhishek Nayar

Tall and broad shouldered, Abhishek Nayar is a useful right-arm medium-pacer who has time and again got Mumbai crucial breaktrhoughs in his young first-class career. He does not quite have the pace to be a regular attacking option, but it's with his left-hand batting that he becomes a natural selection. Capable of crease occupation as well as hitting the ball hard, Nayar chipped in with vital contributions in Mumbai's successful Ranji campaign in 2006. The first-class century narrowly eluded him for a time - he made 97 against Gujarat in 2006 - but when it came it was a big one, 152 against Karachi Urban in the Mohammad Nissar Trophy. Nayar was bought by the lucrative Indian Premier League's Mumbai franchise in early 2008 and enjoyed regular playing time as the tournament kicked off. In the final of the 2008-09 Ranji Trophy he made a vital 99 that helped set up Mumbai's 38th triumph and, after being on the fringes of the national side, was selected for ODI squad to tour West Indies in June.
Cricinfo staff June 2009