Star Indian middle-order batter Shreyas Iyer was named as one of the four reserves for the upcoming edition of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in Australia and was supposed to travel there after the conclusion of the ODI series against South Africa. But in a surprise development on Wednesday, it has been revealed that the right-handed batter has been asked to stay back in India and play in the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 tournament for his domestic team, Mumbai.
The 27-year-old right-handed batter was on song in the three-match ODI series against South Africa, where he finished as the leading run-getter. Iyer, who was named among the reserves in last year’s T20 World Cup as well, was scheduled to travel to Australia with the rest of the reserves – Mohammed Shami, Deepak Chahar, and Ravi Bishnoi – but it has now been reported that both Iyer and Bishnoi have been asked to stay back and play in the domestic T20 tournament and will be called up if any player gets injured.
“Shreyas has been told that Deepak Hooda is fit, so he would only be called if any specialist batter gets injured. He has been asked to play Mushtaq Ali trophy and remain ready,” a senior BCCI official was quoted as saying by PTI.
Iyer was in contention for a place in India’s T20 World Cup team at the start of this year, but with the rise of Suryakumar Yadav to another level and Hooda’s all-round display for both India and his IPL side – Lucknow Super Giants – Iyer fell down in the pecking order and was only considered for the reserves.
