Mumbai captain Ajinkya Rahane has shared his thoughts on the inclusion of Shreyas Iyer in the squad for the upcoming Ranji Trophy 2024 semi-final against Tamil Nadu as well. However, Rahane said how Iyer has been a proven performer for the team in domestic cricket over the years.
“He’s an experienced player. His contribution has been amazing whenever he turned up for Mumbai. We are thrilled to have him on our team for the semi-final. I don’t think he needs any encouragement or advice. He has always contributed with the bat for Mumbai, and him being around other players in the dressing room will also help the team’s cause,” Rahane said in the media interaction.
Notably, Shreyas Iyer was part of Mumbai’s playing XI for their clash against Andhra earlier this season where he scored a run-a-ball 48 in the first innings. However, Iyer has been under scanner following a few poor performances in Test cricket.
Meanwhile, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) head coach Chandrakant Pandit expressed his surprise at Iyer’s absence as well. He added that the middle-order batter deserved to get a contract, considering that he is an all-format player as well.
Pandit told Mid Day: “I will not say Shreyas must be included in a certain Grade, but he is definitely a player who can serve India in any format. He has had an injury issue, but it was solved. He is a good performer and even scored a century on Test debut. In our future series, there may be some players who will not be in form, so naturally, Shreyas will be there. He will play domestic cricket and can perform in the IPL. He is going to be useful for Indian cricket in any format.”
“It’s surprising that Shreyas was not considered for the annual contracts, because he is India’s all-format player, Pandit continued. “We don’t know the reason, but I think he should walk into the pool of India’s contracted players. He could have definitely fitted in any Grade. Knowing Shreyas, I don’t think it will affect him. He will definitely fight and perform. He has that fighting spirit,” he concluding.
