Advertisement
Former Indian opener Aakash Chopra has offered insights into the exclusion of Shreyas Iyer from the Indian Test squad for the last three matches against England. Chopra believes Iyer’s troubled performances at the crease in the first two Tests led to his omission and stressed the need for Iyer to work on his technique against the short ball.
In the recent Tests, Iyer struggled to make significant contributions, managing scores of 35, 13, 27, and 29 in the Hyderabad and Visakhapatnam matches. In the last seven Test matches, Iyer has scored only 187 runs at an average of 17. The BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) did not provide an official reason for Iyer’s exclusion, but reports suggested that he complained of groin and lower back stiffness.
Chopra stated on his ‘AAKASHVANI’ show on JioCinema that Iyer looked troubled at the crease and needs to improve his technique against short-pitched deliveries. He highlighted the contrast between Iyer and Shubman Gill, stating that while Gill faced pressure, he did not appear troubled or ugly in his batting.
Advertisement
Additionally, Chopra commented on Virat Kohli’s absence from the Test series against England, noting that Kohli had requested not to be considered for the entire series due to personal reasons. Kohli missed the first two Tests for the same reasons, making it the first instance of him missing an entire Test series at home in his international career.
The ongoing Test series is level at 1-1, with the third Test scheduled to begin in Rajkot on February 15. The fourth Test is set for February 23 in Ranchi, followed by the final match in Dharamshala on March 7.
–IANS
