3 Players who can replace Shreyas Iyer in ODI series against Australia

Shreyas Iyer (Photo Source: Twitter)

After finishing as India’s leading run-scorer across formats in 2022, it seemed like 2023 would be Shreyas Iyer’s breakthrough year. However, that hasn’t been the case so far as the player has missed a lot of crucial games because of injuries this year. He missed the first Test of the recently concluded Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia, and could not bat in the fourth and final match after sustaining a back injury.

Hence, Iyer’s participation in the ODI games against the Aussies is unlikely, which is a massive blow for the Rohit Sharma-led side. With the 50-over World Cup just around the corner, India needed his service in the middle order and with good performances, he could have guaranteed his position in the playing XI. However, with that not happening anytime soon, the team management and the selectors might find the need to look for his replacement and groom him well as no one’s quite sure when Iyer will make his return and most importantly, whether the replacement player can be as effective as Iyer.

Three cricketers who can replace Shreyas Iyer in the upcoming ODI series against Australia:

3. Rahul Tripathi

Rahul Tripathi. (Photo Source: Twitter)

Flamboyant batter Rahul Tripathi was part of the ODI series against Bangladesh but was dropped from the series against Sri Lanka, without getting any opportunity to prove himself. He wasn’t even on the radar for the ODI series against Australia, but now with Shreyas Iyer’s inclusion under the scanner, the 32-year-old may get an opportunity to get back into India’s scheme of things.

Notably, Tripathi has played 53 List-A games so far in his career and has scored 1782 runs in the process. He is known for his aggressive brand of cricket which can help the Men in Blue establish their authority in the middle overs – something they have struggled to do against quality opponents.

Especially with Rishabh Pant currently injured, India needs someone who can take the game away from the opposition and thus, Tripathi can be an excellent fit. He has a lot of experience in domestic cricket and on top of that, is an excellent fielder. Thus, he can very well get back to the side.

2. Deepak Hooda

Deepak Hooda (Photo Source: Twitter)

Just like Rahul Tripathi, Deepak Hooda is known for his power-hitting and that can help India in the middle overs. He can also bat anywhere in the middle order and that will provide a lot of flexibility to the batting unit, especially when KL Rahul’s form is also a matter of concern.

Notably, his all-round skill will also be a huge draw as no other in the top five can bowl a couple of overs in the middle. With an economy of just 4.76, he has three wickets to his name in ODI cricket and has scored 153 runs in 10 matches.

Thus, Hooda has all it needs to replace Shreyas Iyer in the upcoming ODI series against Australia. He hasn’t played a single match since the T20I series against New Zealand and thus, the 27-year-old might be a bit rusty but he can get past that and make his way into the squad.

1. Sanju Samson

Sanju Samson (Photo Source: Twitter)

Wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson is the favourite to replace Shreyas Iyer at the moment. He can bat at number four and can also keep wickets if KL Rahul’s form doesn’t improve and in case the latter is kept out of the playing XI.

Notably, the Kerala-born cricketer has played 11 ODI matches and has scored 330 runs at an average of 66 and a strike rate of 104.76. Even though he has got all it takes to succeed in international cricket, Samson never got enough opportunities to prove himself in the middle.

Thus, Shreyas Iyer’s injury can bring him back into the national setup, where he can establish his class and cement his position for the upcoming ODI World Cup. However, he needs to up his game and be more consistent with the bat in order to do so.

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