Abhishek Nayar has always been an articulate cricketer. His sentences are neat and crisp. He doesn’t drag a point unnecessarily. He smiles as readily as he answers questions. Reflecting on the mood of the cricketers after the series defeat, he said: “The atmosphere is great. Still a lot of jokes (are being cracked) and cricketers are bubbly. As you watch, you’ll see our sessions filled with fun and nothing’s changed. We all understand it’s a sport. We’re going to win most times, lose some times and the losing will be emphasised, but we know it’s part of the deal. So we just go out smiling and give our best all the time.”
There was a business-like urgency about them, an unspoken resolve to pick the pieces and bounce back. Each cricketer was in their own shell, devoted to their own stuff. When waiting to bat, shadow batting, when not bowling shadow-bowling, or inspecting the pitch or locked in a serious chat with the support staff. Few words were exchanged during the slip-fielding drills as well.
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Nayar, channeling the inner optimist, says they are on the verge of something special. “When India lost the World Cup that was a low point for everyone. But a couple of months later, we were world champions. A low point in a cricketer’s career happens, but what a cricketer goes through and then comes back is always a great journey. That’s how stories are made. That’s how legacies are created,” he said.
India will take on New Zealand in the 3rd and final Test which will start on November 1 at the Wankhede.
India will take on New Zealand in the 3rd and final Test which will start on November 1 at the Wankhede. (Express Photo by Amit Chakravarty) 
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