Former India wicketkeeper-batsman Saba Karim has said that Shreyas Iyer will be disappointed after being out of the T20 World Cup squad. According to Karim, the 26-year-old should not be dropped.
Shreyas Iyer has returned to competitive cricket on Wednesday, where he scored an unbeaten 47 and helped Delhi Capitals (DC) register a comfortable victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). Notably, he was out of action following a shoulder injury that he had sustained during the home series against England earlier this year.
Discussing Shreyas Iyer’s return, Karim said on the Kheelneeti podcast: “Basic rule for selectors is that their memory should not be short. Secondly, there should be continuity in the selection process. It will be very difficult for Shreyas Iyer to accept that he is not part of the T20 World Cup squad. In the home series against England, Shreyas Iyer was the No. 1 quality player in the top order. He performed really well and then got injured. He did nothing wrong. Suddenly, for him to not be part of the team (for the T20 World Cup), I think it is really unfair.”
While taking a dig at the selectors, the former cricketer further added that it is not right to forget players who have done well for the team earlier.
Saba Karim stated: “You cannot forget players who have performed for you. Six months back, he was a big player in the team. Just because a new player has come in and scored runs, that doesn’t mean you can forget and exclude your top player who was scoring runs before he got injured. This (IPL) is a big chance for Shreyas Iyer to prove that what the selectors have done to him is wrong. And, I am sure he will be back in the Indian T20 team soon.”
“DC is looking complete after Shreyas Iyer’s return” – Saba Karim
Happy to be back out there!
Great team effort today, onwards and upwards 🔥 @DelhiCapitals pic.twitter.com/rOLZslQivi
— Shreyas Iyer (@ShreyasIyer15) September 22, 2021
Shreyas Iyer, who was the captain of Delhi Capitals last season, returned as a player, as the franchise went ahead with Rishabh Pant as captain for the rest of the IPL 2021 season as well.
He further explained: “Because of Shreyas Iyer’s comeback, DC is looking a lot more complete. Earlier, the likes of Marcus Stoinis and Steve Smith were batting at three. As a result, Nortje was not able to play. So there was a weak link in the line-up. But now, since Shreyas Iyer has returned, and is batting at three, DC have four overseas players who can contribute significantly to the team’s cause.”
“They have two class pacers (Rabada and Nortje) plus Stoinis (if fit for the upcoming games). Also, there is Shimron Hetmyer. So, because of Shreyas Iyer’s comeback, the team is looking a lot more balanced and DC will benefit from the same in the upcoming matches,” Saba Karim concluded.
Delhi Capitals will next play against Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Abu Dhabi on September 25.
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