Middle-order India batsman Shreyas Iyer has been ruled out from the first Test of the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia, starting February 9 in Nagpur.
This is another first-choice man down for the hosts who will already be without Jasprit Bumrah and Rishabh Pant, but India has received a boost in the form of Ravindra Jadeja, who has been cleared fit to play in the first Test.
Iyer, who sustained a back injury ahead of the New Zealand series, is working hard in his rehab at the NCA in Bangalore to get fit in time for the second Test, which starts in Delhi on February 17.
Iyer has featured in seven Tests so far, averaging 56.72 at a healthy strike rate of 65. He was India’s second-highest run-scorer – 202 in three innings – in their most recent Test series, in Bangladesh in December. Iyer’s superb skill set against spinners is what India will miss in Nagpur.
While one of KL Rahul or Shubman Gill is likely to take Shreyas Iyer’s position in the middle-order in the playing XI, the selectors are expected to name a replacement in the squad, at least for the first Test.
IND vs AUS: Here are 3 players who might replace Shreyas Iyer in the squad:
Sarfaraz Khan
Sarfaraz Khan is the front-runner to replace Shreyas Iyer in the squad. For his form in domestic cricket has become too big for the selectors to ignore anymore. The 25-year-old was already unlucky to not be named in the squad initially.
The Mumbai batsman boasts of a staggering first-class average of 79.65 after 37 matches. In the 2022/23 Ranji season, Sarfaraz amassed 556 runs in 9 innings at a jaw-dropping average of 92 and had a strike rate of 72.
Ajinkya Rahane
A recall to the Test squad for Ajinkya Rahane? Not a bad idea, given that he was amongst the runs in the Ranji Trophy. In 11 innings this season, Rahane scored 634 runs, including a double hundred, at an average of 62.
Now that he seems to be back in his rhythm, what Rahane has over other competitors is the irreplaceable experience of facing the Australian bowlers, the experience of the intense battle in the Border-Gavaskar series, and success at both.
As a leader, Rahane, who helped India win the Border-Gavaskar series in 2017 and 2021, would also be of great assistance to skipper Rohit Sharma in the dressing room.
Mayank Agarwal
With both KL Rahul and Shubman Gill seemingly undroppable at the moment, one of them is likely to slide down to the middle-order spot vacated by Iyer’s absence. In that case, the selectors and the management might want to have a backup opener.
Mayank Agarwal, who last played for India in the home Test series vs Sri Lanka in March, could be a good candidate to be recalled.
First, Agarwal is in the form: he averages 68 in 11 innings in the ongoing Ranji season. Secondly, Agarwal brings an immense international experience in facing the toughest of bowlers, and top-level experience of batting in Indian pitches.
