"Almost Impossible To Drop Or Ignore Him For Next Test Match": Ex-India Batter On Shreyas Iyer

Former cricketer Aakash Chopra feels that India will make a change or two in their playing XI for the second and final Test against New Zealand at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. He, however, remarked that India will not drop Shreyas Iyer from the team. Shreyas, who made his Test debut in the ongoing Test at the Green Park in Kanpur, smashed a ton in the first innings, before scoring a fifty in the second innings. While Chopra did not mention who, according to him, will be dropped from the team, he said that Shreyas had cemented his place in the team for the second Test. 

"The only Indian (Shreyas Iyer) to score and century and fifty in a Test match on debut. The first innings was brilliant because there were nerves but the pitch was a little better to bat. Nobody had seen what he was bringing to the table in the longer format. But, the second innings, in my opinion, is far more challenging and therefore far more satisfying," Chopra said during the tea-break show on Star Sports on Sunday.

"These 65 runs he has scored came under enormous pressure because if he had gotten out in the first innings, India would have batted again anyway. Test match, like life, gives you the second opportunity but not when you are batting for the second time.

"If Shreyas Iyer had been dismissed in that point of time in the second innings, this was game, set, and match in favour of New Zealand," the cricketer-turned-commentator added.

"So, him being there and dominating with regards to how he played against the spinners, now it's almost impossible to ignore him or drop him for the next Test match, no matter who is coming in. Somebody will go out but that guy won't be Shreyas Iyer," he concluded.

Iyer and Wriddhiman Saha starred with the bat for India after the Ajinkya Rahane-led side were reeling at 103 for 6 on Day four against the Kiwis. Iyer was dismissed on 65 while Saha remained unbeaten on 61.

India declared their second innings on 234/7, handing New Zealand a target of 284 runs.

In reply, the visitors are four for one with Ravichandran Ashwin striking just ahead of stumps, removing Will Young.

Topics mentioned in this article

India vs New Zealand 2021 India Cricket Team New Zealand Cricket Team Shreyas Iyer Aakash Chopra Cricket