Cricket expert Sanjay Manjrekar has said that KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer could be fighting for a single spot in the Test squad once Rishabh Pant returns to the side. To note, Rishabh Pant has been out of the action for more than a year after suffering a horrific road accident in December 2022.
Meanwhile, Manjrekar backed KL Rahul to retain his position in the playing XI. “I think he’s (KL Rahul) a guy who cares about every format. You know how he’s built to value every opportunity that he gets after he got that 100. You know, I am looking two years from now and I thought he’s really competing with Shreyas Iyer for a batting position in the middle order because the moment Rishabh Pant is fit, he becomes your keeper batter, and there’s great quality to Rishabh Pant batting and keeping as well,” Manjrekar said on Star Sports after the match.
Speaking more on KL Rahul, Manjrekar said, “That innings was just incredible (First Test hundred). Unfortunately, you know, Dean Elgar got a 180, they got 400 because we at the time thought that 260 was gonna be enough. And that was the moment if India could have latched onto, there would have been a series win in South Africa.”