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Former India player and the current head coach of Kolkata Knight Riders, Abhishek Nayar, was miffed with Gautam Gambhir and Suryakumar Yadav for resting Tilak Varma from the fifth and final T20I against Australia in Brisbane. In a surprising move, the team management decided to give Rinku Singh a chance in place of Tilak, who has been magnificent for India in the shortest format of the game. Although he didn’t do well in the series against the Aussies, he has scored runs consistently in the last few years. Tilak was named the Player of the Match against Pakistan in the final of the Asia Cup 2025.

Abhishek, who is Rohit Sharma’s mentor and coach, was surprised by the move despite Rinku playing for KKR.

“It is a big question for me how you can rest a one-format player, Tilak Varma. The young Tilak has done well for India in T20Is, and players like him need backing and not rest,” he said on Star Sports.

Nayar highlighted Suryakumar Yadav’s Poor form with the bat. “Suryakumar Yadav hasn’t scored a fifty for a long time, but he continues to be a part of the team as he is being backed. The team management trusts him, and other players also deserve the same type of treatment. You will have to treat players equally, and there can’t be different rules for different players,” he added.

Abhishek also opined on Rinku. “I am a big fan of Rinlu Singh, but Tilka is ahead of him at the moment. The players, who are playing in just one format, should be given more exposure so that they become more experienced.”