Former Indian spinner Pragyan Ojha feels that Shreyas Iyer and Rajat Patidar should make way for Virat Kohli and KL Rahul when they return to the squad for the third test in Rajkot. The Men in Blue levelled the series 1-1 at home after an overwhelming victory over England in the second game.
Indian batsman Virat Kohli’s availability for the last three matches is uncertain after missing the first two Tests against England for personal reasons. In contrast, KL Rahul is expected to return from the third Test after missing the second due to a quadriceps ailment.
During a discussion on Colors Cineplex, Pragyan Ojha was asked about the growing pressure on Shreyas Iyer for his spot in the Indian XI given that Shubman Gill struck a brilliant century in the second innings for which the former spinner responded:
“Shreyas Iyer was left slightly behind. When you talk about great batters like Virat Kohli, and KL Rahul have also scored runs, they will automatically be part of the XI when they return. So probably Shreyas Iyer and Rajat Patidar will have to make way because the situation is like that.”
“It’s not that you don’t want to give opportunities but when great batters are coming and you don’t have that much room, you cannot give them the cushion. So go back and score runs in domestic cricket,” Pragyan Ojha said.
Shreyas Iyer failed to convert another start in the longest format. The Indian middle-order batsman has been bowled four times against spinners in the ongoing Test series, failing to create an impression for the side on home territory.
Everyone Knows That Shubman Gill Has A Lot Of Talent – Pragyan Ojha
Pragyan Ojha praised Shubman Gill for his heroics with the bat in the second innings, which helped the Indian team set a good total to defend in Visakhapatnam.
“Fantastic batting by Shubman Gill. He grasped his chance. I will repeatedly talk about the way he handled pressure. Everyone knows that he has a lot of talent. When you play for your country, you have something special,” Pragyan Ojha added.
Shubman Gill struck 104 runs off 147 deliveries to enable India to set a target of 399 runs in their second innings on the third day of the second Test against England in Visakhapatnam.
The right-handed batsman has not made a Test half-century since March 2023, when he hit 128 runs against Australia in Ahmedabad. The youngster would be keen on continuing his fine form in red-ball cricket going into the last three games.
