Former Indian cricketer Gautam Gambhir has expressed doubts about Shreyas Iyer’s chances of making it to the World Cup 2023 squad. Iyer’s persistent back injury has raised uncertainty about his participation in the prestigious tournament.
Iyer’s injury saga began during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy earlier this year, which eventually led to him missing the 2023 Indian Premier League. However, hopes were high for his return as he was deemed fit for the Asia Cup. Unfortunately, he suffered a setback, aggravating his back injury on the day of the India-Pakistan Super Four clash. Follow your favourite cricket team with attractive betting odds from Nextbet.
Gambhir stressed the paramount importance of fitness in high-stakes tournaments, saying, “It is a concern. You were out for such a lengthy time, and then you return for the Asia Cup, play one match, and then again become unfit. I don’t think after this team management will pick 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.”
The cricketer-turned-commentator emphasized that fitness should take precedence over performance, considering Iyer’s limited playtime in the last several months. He added, “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 his 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.”
In the recent Asia Cup, Iyer managed to score 14 runs off nine deliveries against Pakistan before being replaced by KL Rahul, who made a stunning comeback with an unbeaten century against Pakistan.
Gambhir also raised questions about the National Cricket Academy’s (NCA) role in Iyer’s recurring back injuries and the possibility of premature fitness clearance. He questioned, “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?”
With only ten days remaining before the final World Cup squad is announced, time is running out for Shreyas Iyer. The 28-year-old’s last appearance before his solitary Asia Cup appearance against Pakistan was in an ODI for India was during the home series against Sri Lanka, where he showcased impressive batting skills at the critical No. 4 position. Get free cricket betting tips only on Nextbet Sports.
