Former India player turned veteran commentator Aakash Chopra said that a fit and available Shreyas Iyer is the best option for India at the No. 4 position for the ODI World Cup at home later this year. However, India will face the West Indies in a three-match ODI series, with the first match taking place in Bridgetown, Barbados, on Thursday (July 27). Iyer, who’s recovering from back surgery, is not part of the 17-member Indian squad for the three ODIs as well.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra said: “Who generally plays at No. 4 or used to play? Shreyas Iyer played at No. 4 and in whatever matches he has played, Shreyas Iyer has actually done really well.”Things became slightly topsy-turvy after his unavailability, but if Shreyas Iyer is fit and available, you cannot think of a better option than him at No. 4 at this point in time.”
However, he also said that the Mumbai batter will have limited time to regain his form and fitness for the mega event. Shreyas has smashed 1631 runs at an impressive average of 46.60 in 42 ODIs. He hit 724 runs which came at a great average of 55.69 in 17 in ODIs last year as well.
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Aakash Chopra said: “However, the first thing is his availability because he has not yet started playing. He is not part of the team that is currently there in the West Indies. Then you see the Asia Cup, three matches vs Australia and then the World Cup. So you have to get your fitness and form within one month.”
Aakash Chopra also believes Suryakumar Yadav is a potential backup for Shreyas Iyer for the No. 4 spot as well.
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“If God forbid Shreyas Iyer isn’t available or he doesn’t regain his form, you need an option, and there you might see Suryakumar Yadav as a potential No. 4.”Suryakumar Yadav is a T20 rockstar, but whatever he has played in ODIs, firstly he hasn’t played too much, he has not been able to secure his place. Sometimes the observation of outsiders was that he can give himself a little more time – you try to play ODI cricket too in the T20 mode, you try a little too hard – that has been a slight criticism for him,” Aakash Chopra concluded.
