The number of promising talents emerging is such that there is no shortage of competition in the Indian cricket team's Playing XIs across formats. With the big three of Indian cricket – Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah – rested for the South Africa T20Is, their replacements are trying to establish themselves and cement their places in the Indian XI. The likes of Harshal Patel, Avesh Khan, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Ishan Kishan know that once the top guys return, it will be difficult for them to find a place in the Playing XI.
Which is why all four have made an impact in the three matches of the series so far. Harshal grabbed career-best figures of 4/25 while Ishan and Gaikwad hit sparkling half-centuries in India's 48-run win over South Africa in the third T20I in Visakhapatnam on Tuesday.
But while there is fierce competition for almost each and every spot in the Playing XI, former India captain Sunil Gavaskar feels there is one batter whose place is not under doubt. Praising Shreyas Iyer for his recent string of performances, Gavaskar reckons that Iyer's latest form has been such that he need not worry about getting the axe anytime soon, but did mentioned mention that someone like Gaikwad needs to keep it going.
"Shreyas Iyer has scored runs. In the first two matches, so I don’t think he needs to worry. He also had a fabulous season earlier on against Sri Lanka where he got a half-century in just about every match he played. So, his position is not under any threat. But Ruturaj Gaikwad, for him it is a great opportunity," Gavaskar said before the start of the third T20Is.
{{/usCountry}}"Shreyas Iyer has scored runs. In the first two matches, so I don’t think he needs to worry. He also had a fabulous season earlier on against Sri Lanka where he got a half-century in just about every match he played. So, his position is not under any threat. But Ruturaj Gaikwad, for him it is a great opportunity," Gavaskar said before the start of the third T20Is.
{{/usCountry}}And rightly so. Iyer played vital knocks of 36 and 40 in the first two T20Is in Delhi and Cuttack, even though India lost both games. In Vizag, Iyer fell cheaply for 14 but that is a rare one-off failure for the 27-year-old batter. As Gavaskar mentioned, in the three T20Is against Sri Lanka in February, Iyer was in blistering form, scoring unbeaten 57, 74 and 73 in Lucknow and Dharamsala, which is why on current form, it will be really hard to bench Iyer, at least until India’s fabled top order returns.