Shamik Chakrabarty in Sri Lanka
“What is the meaning of samaganda? Shreyas Iyer jovially asked the local security staffer as he walked out of the Colombo airport, along with Rohit Sharma, late on Sunday. “Comfort,” he was told. As the two entered the car, Rohit didn’t lose the opportunity to berate his teammate: “Why are you after samaganda?” Everything was cheerful and light-hearted.
The three-match ODI series in Sri Lanka will be Iyer’s reintegration into the Indian team. In February, he lost his place in the Test side. In May, he lifted the IPL trophy as Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) captain. In between, he lost his central contract for failing to turn up for a Ranji Trophy game. Now that he is back to the national team fold, Iyer would soon be reinstated as a centrally contracted player.
As RevSportz earlier reported, Iyer went through pain, both literally and metaphorically. Back spasms had been a serious issue. He was struggling to face more than 60 balls at the nets, as he was building his load under Abhishek Nayar at the KKR Academy in Mumbai. Nayar is now the Indian team’s assistant coach. Iyer’s mentor at KKR, Gautam Gambhir, is now the India coach. His return to the side can’t be mere coincidence.
Not playing Mumbai’s Ranji Trophy quarter-final against Baroda didn’t go down well with chief selector Ajit Agarkar. Iyer came back to play the semi-final and final against Tamil Nadu and Vidarbha respectively. But the damage was done. Even a title-winning IPL campaign cut no ice with the cricket board. Iyer wasn’t even considered for the T20 World Cup.
He took things in his stride and waited patiently. “Due to lack of communication, there were some decisions that didn’t go in my favour,” Iyer had said in a video released on his YouTube channel last month. “But at the end of the day, the bat is always going to be in my hand and it’s on me how to perform and win trophies.”
All things aside, Iyer is a terrific 50-over batsman. A tally of 530 runs in 11 matches at an average of 66.25 at last year’s World Cup attested to his value. His 70-ball 105 in the semi-final against New Zealand was a match-winning effort. And Iyer always takes playing for India as a badge of honour.
He had opted to skip last year’s IPL to undergo a back surgery. All he wanted was to be available for the World Cup. The pain still didn’t fully subside. He had to take painkilling injections to be pain-free for the tournament. The 29-year-old now has a fresh opportunity to make a statement.
On the face of it, an ODI series against Sri Lanka is a low-key affair. But from Iyer’s point of view, it’s important. It’s time for him to let his bat do the talking, for that would be his redemption.
Morkel likely as fast-bowling coach
Former South Africa fast bowler Morne Morkel is likely to join the Indian team as fast-bowling coach before the two-Test series against Bangladesh next month, it is learnt. Morkel and Gambhir worked together at Lucknow Super Giants. Sairaj Bahutule, who is among the support staff here in Sri Lanka, could be retained as the team’s spin-bowling coach.
Meanwhile, Shubman Gill, who missed the second T20I with a neck spasm, is currently being assessed. A call will be taken before the next game on Tuesday.