With just a fortnight to go for the inaugural T20 Mumbai league, team owners and their support staff will be burning the midnight oil trying to put a plan in place to build a team capable of bagging the coveted #CricketChaRaja crown. Coming to their rescue, the all-weather Mumbai all-rounder, Abhishek Nayar shares his recipe for success in this format of the game.

The veteran medium-pacer has turned out to be the go-to man for Mumbai on more than one occasion – be it occupying the crease in a chase or providing crucial breakthroughs. Laying out a plan for T20 Mumbai he says, “Firstly, it is important to know what kind of team you want to develop.”

Being an all-rounder himself, Nayar understands the importance of players who can contribute with both, bat and ball. “We are noticing a lot of double-skilled players, especially with the IPL. Cricketers want to be two-dimensional players who want to contribute in two departments of the game and not just one. But I am a firm believer that you need at least two guys in the side like that and the rest of them should be specialists in a specific activity,” he says.

“What matters is how fit you are for the tournament. Players who are fit can go on producing the same level of performances with the same intensity,” stated Nayar, who tasted success in the Indian Premier League with Mumbai Indians and also went on to play for Kings XI Punjab, Pune Warriors and Rajasthan Royals.

Along with the perfect combination of specialists and all-rounders, the veteran goes on to add, “The blend of experience and youth is crucial. And also, how quickly you can combine all the elements along with support staff and put the team on the field. It is important to understand each other’s strengths and weakness and stay passionate about the game,” Nayar concludes with some words of wisdom.