India’s head coach Rahul Dravid is happy with the way Shreyas Iyer has been training with the team after recovering from a back injury. Iyer was added to the Asia Cup squad after he regained full fitness at the NCA. Dravid is only concerned by the fact that Iyer has lacked game time in the recent past due to his injury.
The right-hander is expected to settle India’s number four conundrum and Dravid said Iyer will be getting his chances in the upcoming Asia Cup. Iyer has scored 805 runs in 20 innings in the position at an average of 47.35 and has a strike rate of 94.37. Overall, the 28-year-old has scored 1631 runs in 42 ODI matches at an average of 46.6 and a strike rate of 96.51.
Rahul Dravid told reporters: “Shreyas Iyer has looked good, he has had no problems at all. It is pretty straightforward with him, he has come in and he has played, now it is upto us to give him the game time.
“One of the things that he has missed is actual games and matches, and hopefully, we can give him those chances in the Asia Cup. In terms of fitness and everything else, he has done really well in this camp,” he added.
Dravid feels Iyer has ticked all the right boxes in the practice matches but he is yet to get the crucial game time under his belt.
“He has batted a lot, he has fielded, and he has ticked all of the boxes,” Dravid said. “All except actual game time, which can only be given when we play for real. He has played some practice games, but it is not like the real thing in international cricket.”
“Fortunately, now we have got some games coming up with the Asia Cup and the series against Australia to tick that box as well,” he added.
India will begin their Asia Cup campaign against arch-rivals Pakistan at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Pallekele on September 2.
