Shreyas Iyer
Shreyas Iyer - Getty Images

Shreyas Iyer twice revived India in the Kanpur 1st Test after a top-order failure, scoring 105 and 65 to script history, despite India drawing the 1st Test by failing to pick up the last Kiwi wicket. Ajinkya Rahane, who led India in the 1st Test before getting injured and subsequently ruled out from the 2nd Test, on the other hand, scored only 35 and 4.

Veteran Indian cricketer spinner Harbhajan Singh on Saturday backed young Indian batsman Shreyas Iyer to replace struggling Ajinkya Rahane in the middle-order position in India’s Test batting line-up for the impending tour of South Africa, saying that he is “ready to fill the slot”.

Shreyas Iyer at the Green Park Stadium Photo: BCCI
Shreyas Iyer at the Green Park Stadium Photo: BCCI

Shreyas Iyer Scored 105 And 65 While Ajinkya Rahane Scored Only 35 And 4 In The 1st Kanpur Test

Shreyas Iyer was handed his debut Test cap in Kanpur, for the opener of the two-Test series against New Zealand last week, where he twice revived India after a top-order failure scoring 105 and 65 to become the first from his country to notch up a century and a half-century score in maiden appearance in the format.

Ajinkya Rahane. (Photo Source: Getty Images)
Ajinkya Rahane. (Photo Source: Getty Images)

Ajinkya Rahane, on the other hand, scored only 35 and 4 which saw his career batting average fall to 39.3, the lowest he has recorded since February 2014. He was then rested for the second Test against New Zealand owing to a minor left hamstring strain.

Despite leading the team in the Kanpur Test, there are huge questions marks on Ajinkya Rahane’s form after another poor outing in the first game. In India’s tour of England earlier this year, he scored just 109 runs in 7 innings. Ajinkya Rahane’s overall batting average in Test cricket has fallen below 40 in recent times.

Ajinkya Rahane has not scored a century since December 2020- a memorable 112 against Australia. Ajinkya Rahane is averaging just 19.57 this year from 12 Tests.

Meanwhile, Shreyas Iyer became the 16th Indian batter to score a century on Test debut, when he got to the three-figure mark against New Zealand in the first Test match at Kanpur. Shreyas Iyer scored 105 runs off 171 balls after smashing 2 sixes and 13 boundaries and was dismissed by Tim Southee.

Shreyas Iyer Made The Most Of The Opportunity In The Middle Order And Could Be India’s Perfect Solution: Harbhajan Singh

Mighty impressed with the manner in which Shreyas Iyer grabbed the opportunity in the middle order in the Kanpur Test, amid Ajinkya Rahane’s lack of runs, Harbhajan Singh feels that while Ajinkya Rahane’s selection for the South Africa series is still in doubt, India have a perfect replacement for the veteran cricketer.

“Shreyas Iyer batted brilliantly in the last game and showed his talent. And I am so happy that he made the most of the opportunity in the middle order. Meanwhile, Ajinkya Rahane is not scoring runs. Going forward, Iyer could be India’s perfect solution. Don’t know if Rahane will be a part of the India squad for the South Africa series but Iyer, I feel, has made his case as a middle-order option. It will be interesting when the selection happens,” he said speaking on his YouTube channel. 

Harbhajan Singh. (Twitter/KKRiders)
Harbhajan Singh. (Twitter/KKRiders)

BCCI on Saturday postponed the South Africa tour, initially slated to begin from December 17 onwards, by nine days implying the tour will now begin on December 26. India will play three Tests and as many ODIs, however, the four T20Is part of the original fixture will now be rescheduled at a later date in 2022.

Shreyas Iyer scored 18 and 14 in the 2nd Test and both times fell to Ajaz Patel, who picked all 10 Indian wickets to fall in the 1st innings and 4 in the 2nd innings.