The Indian skipper, Rohit Sharma conceded that team selection will get even more difficult for him and head coach, Rahul Dravid after taking a lot of positives from their 3-0 series sweep of Sri Lanka in Dharamsala on Sunday. Rohit heaped praise on Shreyas Iyer as the latter smashed 3 successive fifties and finished with 204 runs without getting dismissed even once.
In the T20I series win over West Indies earlier this month, Suryakumar Yadav put his hand up with 107 runs. During that 3-0 sweep, captain Rohit had highlighted how hard it was to keep a player like Iyer out of the XI as India played Suryakumar, Virat Kohli, and Rishabh Pant in the middle order.
While Shreyas Iyer got only one chance in the series against the West Indies, he has been grabbing the opportunities with both hands as he became the 2nd Indian baiter after Kohli to hit 3 successive fifties in a T20I series. Iyer hit 57 not out from just 28 balls in the first T20I, 74 not out in just 44 balls in India’s stunning chase of 184 in the 2nd T20I, and 73 not out from just 45 balls in the finale on Sunday.
India also saw the return of Ravindra Jadeja, who played handy cameos while batting higher-up the order in the 3-match series while Venkatesh Iyer has also continued his good run. Sanju Samson, who returned to the T20I side for the first time in 7 months, also put his hand up, hitting a crucial 39 in the 2nd T20I.
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Talking about Shreyas Iyer, Rohit Sharma said, “It’s going to be a big challenge but it’s nice to have guys in form rather than not in form. If the guys take the opportunity the way some of these guys have taken, you can move from strength to strength.”
With players unavailable due to injuries and rest, India tried out a handful of players during the T20I series against the West Indies and Sri Lanka, and skipper, Rohit said he is delighted with the way players have lapped up the opportunities.
Elaborating the same, Rohit Sharma said, “That is something we’ve kept in mind – good to give opportunities to a few of those guys. We do understand at times that we’ve held back but it’s important to tell the guys that you don’t have to worry about your positions in the team. We want to fill whatever gaps we have and we do have. We just want to move forward.”
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Having extended their winning run in T20Is in 12 matches, a joint world record, India will shift focus to Tests as Rohit Sharma will lead India in the upcoming 2-match series against Sri Lanka, starting March 4.
