"Play one match and then again become unfit" - Gautam Gambhir raises concerns about Shreyas Iyer's selection to World Cup 2023 squad
Former Indian cricketer Gautam Gambhir felt that middle-order batter Shreyas Iyer will likely miss out on the World Cup 2023 squad following the reaggregation of his back injury.
Iyer suffered a back injury during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy earlier this year and was eventually ruled out of the 2023 Indian Premier League. However, the 28-year-old was cleared to be fully fit for the start of the Asia Cup before reinjuring his back on the day of the India-Pakistan Super Four clash.
Gambhir has stated that Iyer's fitness issues make it impossible to select him for an important tournament like the World Cup.
"It is a concern. You were out for such a lengthy time and then you return for Asia Cup, play one match and then again become unfit. I don't think after this team management will pick up him for such a big tournament. You will see in the coming days that Iyer won't be part of the World Cup squad and someone will be replacing him.You should always go into a World Cup with fit players," he told Star Sports.
Gambhir further said that fitness should take precedence over performance and that Iyer's form is another unknown, considering he has played the lone innings in over six months.
"Performance is a different thing. Imagine if a player suffers from a spasm or some other thing then you cannot find a replacement. So if Iyer hasn't been fit in this tournament then it is very difficult for him to be part of the World Cup because of his injury and then we don't even know how is form is presently. Whatever his form was, it was 7-8 months back after which he only played in one game. So it is unfortunate," he added.
Iyer scored 14 off nine deliveries in India's Asia Cup opener against Pakistan and was in the playing XI for their next game against Nepal. He was then replaced by KL Rahul from the Super Four stage of the tournament, with the wicket-keeper batter scoring an unbeaten century against Pakistan in the first game on his comeback.
"Maybe they cleared him too quickly?" - Gautam Gambhir
Gautam Gambhir also questioned the National Cricket Academy (NCA) about Shreyas Iyer's recurring back injuries and the possibility of the 28-year-old being deemed fit prematurely.
Following his injury during the final Test against Australia, Iyer underwent rehabilitation, followed by match simulation practice at the NCA in Bengaluru.
"If questions are to be raised then ask the NCA because that is where he was all these months and then got a clearance from there as well. Who knows maybe they cleared him too quickly?," stated Gambhir.
With only ten days remaining before the final World Cup squad is announced, Iyer is battling time to be part of the 15-member Indian side. He last played an ODI for India in the three-match home series against Sri Lanka. Overall, he boasts sensational ODI numbers batting at the crucial No. 4 position, averaging 46.60, with two centuries and 14 half-centuries.
Despite Iyer's absence, the Men in Blue had no issues winning their eighth Asia Cup title, dismantling Sri Lanka in the summit clash by ten wickets.
Team India takes on Australia in a three-match ODI series, starting in Mohali on Friday, September 22.