Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul will embark on a journey to make their India comeback in the upcoming Duleep Trophy. Both batters are in prime contention for the number six position in the Test side, a role that both are familiar with and have aced it in the past. However, considering the combination of the team, oly one spot is up for the grabs. The domestic red-ball tournament will be the stage for the duo to perform and impress the selectors.
Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul to battle out for one Test spot
Shreyas Iyer last featured in the IND vs ENG 2nd Test in February before he pulled out due to an alleged in injury. He then went on to skip the Ranji Trophy which resulted in the star being excluded from BCCI’s Central Contracts list along with Ishan Kiahan. Despite Iyer leading Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to their third title in IPL 2024, he was left out of the T20 World Cup squad. He made his return to the white-ball format in IND vs SL series but is yet to feature in Tests.
Similarly, KL Rahul’s last Test apperance was in the IND vs ENG series where he was injured and was forced to pull out of the seires mid-way. Like Iyer, he returned to action in IPL 2024 following which he made his India comeback in IND vs SL series.
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The onus will now be on Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul as the Duleep Trophy is set to commence on Thursday. With only one India spot up for the taking, the batters will have to impress the selectors in order to ensure their return to the India side. The selectors will pick the squad for IND vs BAN series based on the performances of the players in the Duleep Trophy.
India’s Test batting order comprises of skipper Rohit Sharma and Y/ashasvi Jaiswal at the top. The duo will be followed by Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant. This leaves one spot vacant for a batter, which KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer are aiming to secure.
