Off The Field

Kaif slams Kohli, Shastri for dropping Iyer from 1st T20I

Written by Abhishek Patil

Virat Kohli & Co. have been criticized severely for their constant chopping and changing in the playing XIs, irrespective of the format. The same was witnessed when Shreyas Iyer, now a regular in ODIs as the No. 4 batsman, was dropped for the T20I series opener versus Australia at Manuka Oval, Canberra on Friday (December 4).

Iyer didn’t have a good start in his maiden trip to Australia, returning with scores of 2, 38 and 19 in the three ODIs and, hence, he was shown the door in the first T20I. On Iyer being sidelined, former Indian cricketer and Delhi Capitals (DC) assistant coach Mohammad Kaif lashed out at Kohli & Co.

Kaif said while speaking on Sony Sports, “Shreyas Iyer had become your main player at one point. That he is your No.4 batsman, who finishes the game. Whether you talk about the IPL or go back to the New Zealand series, there also he finished games at No.4. He scored 50 not out or 33 not out, he was playing well at the No.4 position. He had two or three bad innings in the ODI, so they didn’t play him in the first T20I. This is the culture of the Indian team and we have all understood that. I am not surprised that he is dropped,” he added.

Kaif further opined, “This is the sort of thinking of Virat Kohli and Ravi Shastri and the players are also understanding that. The players also know that they will get just two innings, this is the sort of team it is,” said the 40-year-old.

Along with Iyer, India had rested pacer Jasprit Bumrah and even dropped Yuzvendra Chahal from the playing XI on Friday. However, Chahal returned with the Man-of-the-Match award after he replaced Ravindra Jadeja as the concussion substitute.

Being asked to bat first, India managed 160-7 riding on KL Rahul’s 51 and Jadeja’s 44*. In reply, Australia managed 150 for 7, courtesy Chahal and T Natarajan’s 3-fers.

The second and penultimate tie will be held at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG), Sydney on Sunday (December 6).

About the author

Abhishek Patil