Shreyas Iyer is all set to make a return to the international circuit after a prolonged period of six months. The Indian batter remained sidelined due to a back injury that he sustained during a Bangladesh tour last year. Due to the struggle, Iyer has missed a number of international assignments as well as the 2023 IPL where he would serve as the captain of the Kolkata Knight Riders. With Indian cricket fans anticipating his long-awaited comeback, Afghanistan cricketer Rahmanullah Gurbaz has expressed his admiration for Iyer, with whom he shares the same dressing room in the IPL.
During an interaction with the Times of India, Gurbaz underlined Iyer’s leadership ability, while admitting his KKR teammate possesses all the qualities to become the future captain of the Indian cricket team. The Afghan wicketkeeper-batter thinks Iyer has already acquired enough experience in captaincy during his tenure as a skipper in the IPL.
“The IPL is the biggest competition in the world. If he (Shreyas Iyer) can lead a team there, he can lead any team in the world. There are a lot of players who didn’t get a chance to lead teams in the IPL. He got the chance which means he is a good captain. I am sure he will be a good captain for India,” Gurbaz said, as quoted by Times of India.
Despite Iyer being out of cricket for a long time, the Indian selectors have shown faith in the middle-order batter, calling him up for the upcoming Asia Cup. In this context, Gurbaj said that Iyer’s inclusion definitely bolsters the Indian squad.
“I am really happy for Shreyas. He has made it to the team after a very long time. He is a key player. He is a really good player. That’s why he has deservingly been picked. He is young and dynamic,” Gurbaj said. The 21-year-old is currently in Sri Lanka where Afghanistan have hosted Pakistan for a three-match ODI series. Both teams see this bilateral assignment as the final preparation for the Asia Cup.
Shreyas is now gearing up for his comeback at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru. His presence will certainly provide stability in the Indian middle order. If he makes the cut to the playing eleven, Iyer is expected to bat at No. 4 in the Asia Cup. Since the Men in Blue will play their matches in Sri Lanka, Iyer’s commendable skills in facing spinners are expected to make an impact on India’s batting performance.
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