Shreyas Iyer’s return to first-class cricket didn’t go as planned as the Mumbai batter was dismissed for an 8-ball duck in the Ranji Trophy match against Baroda. Iyer, who is aiming to make a comeback to the Indian Test side, struggled at the crease before being dismissed by Bhargav Bhatt, continuing his patch of poor form in red-ball cricket.

In Mumbai’s first innings, Iyer was the only batter to depart without scoring, a major blow to his hopes of catching the selectors’ eye for a Test recall. His disappointing start in the Ranji Trophy follows a series of sub-par performances in the Duleep Trophy, where he also failed to make a strong impact.

Iyer’s Recent First-Class Scores:

• MUM vs ROI (Irani Cup): 57 & 8
• IND D vs IND B (Duleep Trophy): 0 & 50
• IND vs IND A (Duleep Trophy): 0 & 41
• IND D vs IND C (Duleep Trophy): 9 & 54
• IND vs ENG (Test): 27 & 29

Once a promising middle-order option for India, Iyer now faces an uphill battle to regain his spot in the Test squad. He has reportedly fallen out of favor with the selectors, who have cited his poor shot selection and the presence of other viable candidates for the Test team.

Having already missed out on BCCI’s central contracts list and dropped from the Test side earlier this year, Iyer’s path back to the national team depends on his ability to deliver in the domestic circuit. As the Ranji season progresses, Iyer will need to turn his fortunes around quickly to stay in contention for a Test spot.

Shreyas Iyer and Shardul Thakur are set to represent Mumbai in the upcoming Irani Cup match against the Rest of India. The match is scheduled to take place from October 1 to 5 in Lucknow, with Ajinkya Rahane leading the Mumbai side. Rahane, who captained Mumbai to their 42nd Ranji Trophy victory earlier this year, will once again take charge of the team.

Shardul Thakur’s return comes as a significant boost to the squad. The India all-rounder, who has been recovering from an ankle surgery since June, recently participated in the KSCA tournament and has made himself available for the five-day fixture. The full Mumbai squad is expected to be announced soon.

Shreyas Iyer, who is eyeing a comeback to the Indian national team, will also play in this prestigious domestic fixture. Iyer has been out of the international spotlight after missing out on selection for the ongoing Test series against Bangladesh. The Irani Cup could be a crucial opportunity for him to impress selectors ahead of upcoming international matches.

New National Cricket Academy to Be Unveiled on September 28

In other news, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced that the new National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru will be inaugurated on September 28. The state-of-the-art facility will feature three world-class playing grounds, 45 practice pitches, an Olympic-sized swimming pool, and top-tier training and recovery facilities. This new academy is expected to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of Indian cricket.

The inauguration will take place just a day before BCCI’s Annual General Meeting (AGM), which is also set to be held in Bengaluru.

Former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali has taken a dig at Indian batter Shreyas Iyer for his poor performance in the Duleep Trophy. Iyer, who captained India D, was dismissed for a seven-ball duck in the first innings against India A. Ali claimed that Iyer has lost his hunger for red-ball cricket, focusing too much on hitting boundaries instead of building an innings.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Basit Ali expressed disappointment in Iyer’s approach, suggesting that he should have scored 100-200 runs in the match. He went on to say that if it were up to him, Iyer would not be part of the Duleep Trophy at all, pointing out the absence of senior players like Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara in the competition.

“Iyer doesn’t seem to have the drive for red-ball cricket anymore. He’s more focused on boundaries. If I were a selector, I wouldn’t have included him in the Duleep Trophy,” Ali remarked.

Shreyas Iyer still has a few more innings left in the tournament and will need to make the most of them if he hopes to be considered for the upcoming New Zealand Test series. With the Ranji Trophy season starting soon, this may be his last chance to prove his form before the squad is announced.

Shreyas Iyer is aiming for a comeback to India’s Test squad ahead of the series against Bangladesh. However, his recent performances in red-ball cricket, particularly in the Duleep Trophy, have been inconsistent. In a recent match for India D, Iyer managed just 9 runs in the first innings but improved with a second-innings score of 54 off 44 balls. Despite this, concerns remain over his form.

With competition for spots in the middle order heating up, Iyer’s chances of securing a place in the playing XI are uncertain. The return of key players like Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant further limits opportunities, leaving Iyer likely competing with KL Rahul for the No. 5 position. Rahul is also returning from injury, and his performance in the Duleep Trophy could make Iyer’s selection more difficult.

As India prepares for the Test series, set to begin soon, Iyer will need to demonstrate consistent form to solidify his place in the team.

The Duleep Trophy 2024-25 is set to begin on September 5, and the BCCI has announced the captains for the four squads. Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, Ruturaj Gaikwad, and Abhimanyu Easwaran will lead their respective teams in this prestigious first-class tournament.

Key Highlights

• Team A:
  • Captain: Shubman Gill
  • Notable Players: Riyan Parag, KL Rahul, Shivam Dube, Kuldeep Yadav
  • Overview: Gill’s team includes a mix of experience and youth, with key players like KL Rahul and Kuldeep Yadav aiming to make a significant impact.
• Team B:
  • Captain: Abhimanyu Easwaran
  • Notable Players: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar
  • Overview: Easwaran will lead a strong side featuring experienced internationals like Ravindra Jadeja and upcoming talents like Yashasvi Jaiswal.
• Team C:
  • Captain: Ruturaj Gaikwad
  • Notable Players: Suryakumar Yadav, Sai Sudharsan, Rajat Patidar
  • Overview: Gaikwad’s team is bolstered by the presence of explosive batsman Suryakumar Yadav and consistent performers like Sai Sudharsan.
• Team D:
  • Captain: Shreyas Iyer
  • Notable Players: Ishan Kishan, Devdutt Padikkal, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh
  • Overview: Iyer will lead a well-rounded squad featuring star players like Ishan Kishan and all-rounder Axar Patel.

Tournament Details

• Start Date: September 5, 2024
• End Date: September 22, 2024
• Venues: Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh & Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru

BCCI’s Selection Strategy

The BCCI has included many players from India’s senior squads in this year’s Duleep Trophy, except for a few like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, and R Ashwin. Mohammed Shami continues his rehabilitation and is not part of the tournament.

The players selected for the upcoming home Test series against Bangladesh will be replaced in the Duleep Trophy squads.

As India prepares for their ODI series against Sri Lanka, skipper Rohit Sharma has been seen sharpening his skills and helping his teammates. Known for his exceptional pull shot, Sharma is now passing on his expertise to Shreyas Iyer.

Rohit Sharma’s Expert Training

– Pull Shot Mastery: Rohit Sharma, renowned for his impressive pull shots, has taken time to train Shreyas Iyer in this technique. Sharma’s pull shot is considered one of his standout skills and he’s using his knowledge to help Iyer improve.

  – Pre-Series Preparation: Sharma and Iyer were spotted working together in the nets as they gear up for the ODI series starting on August 2. Sharma’s return from a break following the T20 World Cup sees him not only focusing on his game but also assisting his teammates.

ODI Squad for India vs Sri Lanka

India’s squad for the upcoming series includes:

– Captain: Rohit Sharma

– Vice-Captain: Shubman Gill

– Players: Virat Kohli, KL Rahul (wk), Rishabh Pant (wk), Shreyas Iyer, Shivam Dube, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Washington Sundar, Arshdeep Singh, Riyan Parag, Axar Patel, Khaleel Ahmed, Harshit Rana

With Sharma back in action and providing valuable guidance, the Indian team is gearing up for a competitive series against Sri Lanka.