India's batter Shreyas Iyer plays a shot
As India prepares to navigate the remainder of the England Test series without Virat Kohli, Ian Chappell, the former Australian captain, believes that the team will be significantly bolstered by the return of veteran all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja and KL Rahul. The duo’s inclusion came as India announced its squad for the remaining three matches of the series, a decision that also saw the exclusion of premier batter Shreyas Iyer.
Kohli’s continued absence from the Indian squad, due to personal reasons, extends beyond the initial two Tests of the England series. This decision, which was supported by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), has left a notable gap in the team’s lineup. In Kohli’s place, Rajat Patidar made his debut in the second Test in Vizag.
Apart from Kohli, the absence of all-format batter Iyer was another noteworthy development in India’s squad selection for the England series. Reflecting on India’s choices leading up to the third Test against England, Chappell advised the selectors against overestimating Iyer’s batting prowess.
‘Selectors will now stop overestimating Shreyas Iyer’
In his column for ESPN Cricinfo, Ian Chappell expressed confidence in India’s strength as a team, highlighting Rohit Sharma’s leadership. While the return of Ravindra Jadeja and KL Rahul from injury will bolster the squad, Chappell acknowledged the setback of Virat Kohli’s continued absence for the remainder of the series against England.
Chappell urged selectors to reassess their evaluation of Shreyas Iyer’s batting prowess and to recognize the valuable wicket-taking abilities of Kuldeep Yadav.
Why Iyer axed from India’s squad
Iyer struggled to find his form in the first two Tests against England, scoring 35 off 63 balls and 13 off 31 balls in India’s narrow 28-run loss, followed by innings of 27 off 59 balls and 29 off 52 balls in the second Test, which India won by 106 runs in Visakhapatnam. As the third Test approaches, scheduled to commence on February 15 in Rajkot, Team India has made a squad change by adding fast bowler Akash Deep.
Meanwhile, Saurabh Kumar has been released from the 17-member squad, while Mohammed Siraj is now eligible for selection. Ian Chappell believes that despite being the home side, India faces a tough battle against England, especially under the aggressive leadership of Ben Stokes. Chappell noted the significant improvement in England’s performance compared to their previous tour, emphasizing that India will need to fight hard to secure victory in the series.
