Former Indian spinner Pragyan Ojha has proposed that struggling batsmen Shreyas Iyer and Rajat Patidar should be omitted if Virat Kohli and KL Rahul are available for selection in the IND vs ENG 3rd Test, commencing on February 15 in Rajkot.
Following India’s impressive victory over England in the second Test in Visakhapatnam, which levelled the series at 1-1, Ojha highlighted the noteworthy performances of Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Ravichandran Ashwin, and Jasprit Bumrah in orchestrating India’s comeback after a loss in the series opener in Hyderabad.
During the Vizag Test, both Jaiswal and Gill showcased exceptional batting prowess, with Jaiswal notching a double century in the first innings and Gill contributing a century in the second. Despite facing criticism for his recent struggles with the bat, Gill silenced many detractors with his impressive 104-run innings.
However, Shreyas Iyer has faced difficulties in finding form lately, enduring a streak of 13 innings without a fifty-plus score in Tests. Additionally, he failed to capitalize on his starts in both innings of the 2nd Test in Visakhapatnam. Meanwhile, debutant Rajat Patidar struggled against spin in both innings, falling short of expectations.
Pragyan Ojha demands Shreyas Iyer to be dropped in IND vs ENG 3rd Test:
During a discussion on Colors Cineplex, Ojha emphasized that Iyer’s poor form places him behind Kohli and Rahul, who are likely to earn direct selection into the playing XI if they are available for the 3rd Test.
Ojha stated, “Shreyas Iyer was left slightly behind. When you talk about great batters like Virat Kohli, and KL Rahul has also scored runs, when they return, they will automatically be part of the XI. So probably Shreyas Iyer and Rajat Patidar will have to make way because the situation is like that.”
Virat Kohli withdrew from the first two Tests against England for personal reasons, while KL Rahul was sidelined from the second Test due to injury. While Iyer was initially part of the squad for the first two Tests, Patidar was brought in as a replacement for Kohli.
Ojha believes that both Iyer and Patidar should accept the decision, if made, in the best interests of the team. He encouraged the players to regain their form by participating in domestic cricket.
“It’s not that you don’t want to give opportunities, but when great batters are coming and you don’t have that much room, you cannot give them the cushion. So go back and score runs in domestic cricket,” Ojha emphasized.
Notably, India head coach Rahul Dravid engaged in a lengthy conversation with Shreyas Iyer following the conclusion of the second Test in Vizag. Chief selector Ajit Agarkar was also present in Vizag, seen conversing with captain Rohit Sharma.
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