3 batters who can replace Shreyas Iyer in India's squad for 1st Test against Australia
Team India have been dealt a major blow ahead of the first Test against Australia, with Shreyas Iyer reportedly being ruled out as he continues to recover from a back injury. The 28-year-old batter was set to play a pivotal role in the middle order, especially with the hosts already missing Rishabh Pant's services.
With Iyer ruled out of contention for the first Test in Nagpur, which begins February 9, his Mumbai teammate Suryakumar Yadav is in the mix for a Test debut. The hosts are already set to field a debutant, with either KS Bharat or Ishan Kishan to don the wicketkeeper's gloves in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Shreyas Iyer's injury comes as a massive blow given the stellar start he has made in the longest format. Aside from his five half-centuries and a century in seven Tests thus far, Iyer has bailed India out of many perilous situations - including against Bangladesh in December 2022.
The report adds that Shreyas Iyer has been instructed to spend more time at National Cricket Academy (NCA).
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His prowess against spin on what are expected to be turning pitches will be sorely missed in the first Test against Australia.
On that note, let's look at three batters who could potentially replace Iyer in the squad, should the selectors opt to do so.
#1 Sarfaraz Khan
The likely frontrunner in the race is Sarfaraz Khan, who many consider unfortunate to have not been named in India's Test squad in the first place. The Mumbai batter has extended his purple patch into the ongoing Ranji Trophy season, even as his side have been eliminated just prior to the quarterfinals.
Sarfaraz's first-class numbers are - at a very basic level - ridiculously brilliant. Having amassed 3505 at an average of just a shade under 80, he has a penchant for playing big knocks. Sarfaraz is also used to batting at No. 5, a position most likely to have been given to Shreyas Iyer if he was fit.
Sarfaraz has piled up 552 runs this Ranji Trophy season at an average of 92.66, with three centuries to go with that. Enough to warrant a callup to the Indian squad for the first Test against Australia, right?
#2 Mayank Agarwal
Mayank Agarwal knows what it's like to play Test cricket, having incidentally debuted against Australia as well. A poor run of scores during the tour of South Africa in 2021-22 and the subsequent home series against Sri Lanka saw him discarded from the setup.
While his weakness against the moving ball came to the fore, Agarwal remains an incredible player of spin bowling, much like Shreyas Iyer. His domestic white-ball season was disappointing, but he has flicked a switch in the ongoing Ranji Trophy campaign.
The Karnataka skipper has tallied 686 runs thus far at an average of 68.60, including an 83 in the ongoing quarter-final clash against Uttarakhand. Given his prowess against spin, Agarwal should also take to a spot in the middle order like a fish to water. All things considered, he has a decent chance for a Test recall as Iyer's replacement.
#3 Abhimanyu Easwaran
Another batter with a penchant for consistent runs, Bengal skipper Abhimanyu Easwaran continues to bide his time patiently as he waits for that elusive Test cap. He was part of the Indian contingent that toured Bangladesh in December 2022, when Rohit Sharma was ruled out with injury.
The right-handed opener has been in brilliant form lately, backing up his twin hundreds in Bangladesh for India A with three more in the Ranji Trophy. He has tallied 710 runs in the domestic tournament as of now, at a staggering average of 88.75. There is clearly no better time than this to strike the iron - when it's really hot.
Of course, Shreyas Iyer being a middle-order batter doesn't make Easwaran a like-for-like replacement. But with Shubman Gill capable of sliding down the order himself and Suryakumar already in the squad, Easwaran's inclusion would add the option of a solid, in-form backup opener.
Who among these players do you think should be called up to replace Shreyas Iyer for the 1st India-Australia Test? Let us know in the comments section!
Also read: 3 takeaways from India's squad for first 2 Tests vs Australia