Due to back spasms, Shreyas Iyer will be absent from Mumbai’s Ranji Trophy 2023-24 quarter-finals against Baroda on February 23, as reported by various media outlets. The middle-order batsman, who participated in some matches in the domestic tournament after a five-year gap, aimed to prepare for the upcoming five-Test series against England.
However, the 29-year-old was excluded from the team following the initial two Tests, during which he posted scores of 35, 13, 27, and 29. Although certain reports hinted at back problems, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) did not officially acknowledge any such concern.
“He [Shreyas Iyer] has told Mumbai’s team management that he is unfit,” a Mumbai Cricket Association source told TOI.
“He had told the Indian team management and the selectors that he got a back ache after batting for 30-40 minutes. As He needs some to recover from it,” the newspaper quoted a BCCI official as saying.
Anticipated to continue participating in the Ranji Trophy after being displaced from the Test squad by youngsters Rajat Patidar and Sarfaraz Khan, Iyer was among the players who received a letter from BCCI secretary Jay Shah. The letter cautioned centrally-contracted players against prioritizing IPL preparations over involvement in domestic cricket.
Shreyas Iyer and Shivam Dube won’t be available for Mumbai
In-form all-rounder Shivam Dube, boasting two centuries and two fifties this season, will be sidelined due to a side strain. This opens the opportunity for 18-year-old Musheer Khan, the sibling of India’s recent Test debutant Sarfaraz, to join the team for the crucial knockout game.
Mumbai’s squad for the quarter-finals:
Ajinkya Rahane (c), Prithvi Shaw, Prasad Pawar (wk), Amogh Bhatkal, Bhupen Lalwani, Musheer Khan, Suryansh Shedge, Hardik Tamore (wk), Tanush Kotian, Shams Mulani, Aditya Dhumal, Shardul Thakur, Mohit Awasthi, Tushar Deshpande, Dhawal Kulkarni, and Royston Dias.
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