With a number of Indian T20 World Cup players out of form, a BCCI official has allegedly stated that Shreyas Iyer may be included to India’s 15-man roster for the showpiece tournament.
Tensions are rising among Indian cricket fans, with some ICC T20 World Cup-bound players seeming out of character during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 season. While team management is not concerned, Shreyas Iyer is allegedly being readied as a backup.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has until October 10 to make changes to this year’s T20 World Cup team. Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, and Hardik Pandya’s form for Mumbai Indians has become a source of concern.
“Yes, that is a concern, but we still have a few matches remaining in the IPL to get them back in shape. They should, hopefully. Suryakumar has been running for India, so he is not a major issue right now. Ishan Kishan also performed well in Sri Lanka. “Virat also spoke with him on Sunday, and we’ll see how things go,” a BCCI insider told InsideSport.
According to the source, Iyer is being considered as a backup if the form of Hardik, Suryakumar, and Ishan does not improve to the desired level.
“We have Shreyas Iyer as a backup, and he may be called in if there are any concerns.” But it’s too early to make any judgments. Ishan Kishan is a key player, as are Suryakumar and others. It’s pointless to speculate,” the insider stated.
While batsmen Suryakumar and Ishan have had a poor start to the UAE leg of IPL Season 14, all-rounder Hardik Pandya has yet to deliver a single over for MI since the T20 competition resumed.
Though there are other hitters that may be utilised in the playing XI, there is no other all-rounder option available to replace Hardik as of yet. Though Deepak Chahar and Shardul Thakur’s names have been discussed, the duo is not yet seen in the category of all-rounders.
“Hardik is on the mend, and the Mumbai Indians have taken good care of him. We’ll see how things proceed. He’s hitting the nets, which is a positive indication. Rohit is present, so he understands how to deal with him. You’re referring to Hardik, and there is now no backup. Shardul and Deepak are strong possibilities, but they have yet to establish themselves as regular all-rounders in T20s. As a result, Hardik continues to be the finest all-rounder,” the BCCI insider added.
Virat Kohli, India’s captain, was also spotted chatting to Ishan after a recent match between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Mumbai Indians, with the latter obviously upset about his poor record.