Former India player Sanjay Manjrekar has shared his concern over KL Rahul picking up another niggle after having recovered from his thigh injury recently which he sustained during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023. However, he was added to Team India’s 17-member squad for the Asia Cup, which was announced on Monday, August 21 as well. However, BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar recently shared at a press conference that Sanju Samson will be a backup player since Rahul has sustained a niggle not related to his original injury as well.
During a debate on India’s batting order, Manjrekar said while speaking on Star Sports/ESPN Cricinfo’s ‘Selection Day Live’ program: “The whole debate is over how your 4, 5, 6 are going to look. KL Rahul, I worry about his selection now with this niggle. [About] Shreyas Iyer, [I am] more optimistic.“Let’s not confuse flexibility – the kind of flexibility that I expect. For example, when I mention Virat Kohli as a No. 4 to solve the problem with Ishan Kishan batting down the order, that’s the kind of flexibility that I am talking about.”
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However, Sanjay Manjrekar also added that he was fine with some in-game changes in the middle order, but he also stated that the starting template needs to be clear as well. Meanwhile, captain Rohit Sharma also opined on the flexibility debate in the batting order. He stated that the players would not be sent up and down randomly whereas their spot won’t be fixed as well.
“Down the order, at numbers 4, 5, 6, you have two spinners operating on a turning pitch, then those kind of moves are commonplace and something that you expect. Somebody like a Hardik Pandya coming in when there’s an off-spinner. Those are okay,” he again shared.
However, he was asked whether Team India should be guarded in using Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul during the Asia Cup since they are returning from injury, Manjrekar replied that if possible they both should play in every game ahead of the World Cup.
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“Shreyas Iyer gets in straightway. KL Rahul, if the niggle is okay by the time he surfaces in Sri Lanka, he plays there as well. These are your proven class players with a lot of experience on the big stage. On the big platform, the World Cup, if you see, the heroes have always been guys who have been there, done that – Rohit Sharma five hundreds in the last World Cup. You need people like KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer. The best way is to get them to play every match possible till September 5,” he concluded.
