Team India’s dealing with of allrounder Venkatesh Iyer raises eyebrows

What’s the function of Venkatesh Iyer within the staff? That’s one of many many puzzles floating across the Indian ODI staff that performs a model of outdated cricket. There are fairly just a few points from the run-getting tempo of the highest order to lack of wicket-taking bowlers within the center overs to lack of finishers however Iyer’s case is an efficient instance as any to seize the confusion within the camp. The stand-in captain KL Rahul, and extra so head coach Rahul Dravid, can not absolve themselves of the mismanagement of the seam-bowling all-rounder who made his ODI debut on Wednesday.
Absence of a seaming all-rounder in white-ball cricket has been the staff’s largest weak point of late, which obtained uncovered on the T20 World Cup final 12 months, when choosing a half-fit Hardik Pandya backfired. Iyer was fast-tracked to the Indian staff after the match as a result of the selectors noticed him as an choice to fill the void. The staff administration chosen him forward of Suryakumar Yadav for the primary ODI, ostensibly to make use of him as an all-rounder. Neither was he given a single over, nor was the southpaw utilised correctly as a batsman. If he hasn’t impressed the staff administration as a bowler then why has he been picked and wasted low down within the order the place he can’t even present his batting prowess? What was the communication between the selectors and the administration? The high order, because it stands now, is clustered with batsmen who wish to take their time. Something wants to alter there to grab the momentum. Iyer can be truly perfect there as in case he succeeds, it would give India a breakthrough from rigidity they’ve slipped into. And they wouldn’t get a greater probability than these bilateral sequence to check out choices.

The ongoing sequence towards the Proteas, or any bilateral sequence for that matter within the lead-up to the 2023 World Cup, is kind of inconsequential for India by way of outcomes. Being the hosts of the ICC occasion, India aren’t a part of the World Cup Super League, as they’ll qualify mechanically. From that perspective, bilateral sequence provides Dravid and firm the prospect to plug the void/loopholes and nil in on the suitable gamers and proper mixture.
In September final 12 months, on a sluggish Sharjah pitch, Kolkata Knight Riders captain Eoin Morgan had brilliantly used Iyer’s bowling towards Delhi Capitals to take management of the middle-overs. Iyer obtained two essential wickets. In truth, the KKR staff administration deserves a number of credit score for Iyer’s speedy rise.
Conditions on the Boland Park had a fairly residence/Asian really feel yesterday. South Africa’s Rassie van der Dussen and Temba Bavuma constructed a partnership that asphyxiated India beneath the scorching solar. Shardul Thakur and Bhuvneshwar Kumar have been going for many, in extra of seven and 6 runs per over respectively. The spinners have been neutered by Van der Dussen’s sweep. But Rahul was seemingly oblivious to utilizing his sixth bowling possibility, Iyer to be exact, whose change of tempo might need come in useful.
Venkatesh Iyer obtained his ODI cap within the first ODI. (File)
Little surprise then that Sunil Gavaskar wasn’t impressed in any respect. “Only the captain has the answer as to why Venkatesh wasn’t bowled even once. He is a new player who has just made a name for himself in the last four-five months. That is why he is in the Indian team. But oppositions don’t know much about him,” the legendary former India captain informed Sports Tak, including: “Had he given an over, something else could have happened.”
Iyer’s non-use as a bowler was opposite to what Rahul had mentioned on the pre-match press convention. “Yes, fast-bowling all-rounders are always an asset. They balance the team out. So, very excited about Venkatesh Iyer; he is really looking good at the nets and it’s a great opportunity for him.”
Venkatesh Iyer is an equally succesful bowler. (File)
And but once more, a mistake was repeated. The three residence T20Is that the 27-year-old performed towards New Zealand, he didn’t bowl within the first two earlier than getting three overs within the third and taking a wicket for 12 runs. At a time when Hardik is frequenting the therapy room and Iyer is taken into account his back-up, not making the optimum use of the participant’s allround capacity doesn’t serve any goal. Bilateral ODI and T20I assignments give India the chance to mattress in new gamers earlier than the T20 World Cup later this 12 months adopted by the 50-over showpiece subsequent 12 months.
Wasted as a batsman 
As a batsman additionally, Iyer was wasted within the first ODI. He got here in at No. 6 within the thirty fourth over, when the asking-rate had shot as much as seven-plus. The staff administration most likely must be extra versatile quite than its obvious effort to groom the newcomer solely as a finisher. Opening the innings has been Iyer’s forte. He scored 370 impactful runs in 10 video games for KKR within the final 12 months’s IPL batting upfront. Like nearly all of modern-day top-order batsmen, Iyer, too, prefers to take the aerial path to counter the sector restrictions in Powerplay. Yesterday, he obtained out to a brief ball from Lungi Ngidi, enjoying aerially and choosing out Van der Dussen at deep mid-wicket. It may have been a 4 in Powerplay overs, simply two fielders manning the deep subject.
Venkatesh Iyer was in nice kind in IPL 2021. (File)
Ahead of the sport, Rahul had spoken about selling himself up the order in Rohit’s absence. A bolder strategy from him and the staff’s head coach was fascinating. Rahul was batting within the middle-order in ODIs of late and there was no hurt in opening the innings with two left-handers. Also, for a brand new participant like Iyer, whom the staff administration will wish to have a great have a look at, utilizing him as a floater is more likely to augur properly; how he’s reacting to batting in several positions and conditions. Unlike the Rahuls, the Shreyases, the Suryakumars and the Pants, Iyer is an unknown amount in worldwide cricket and the extra he will get an opportunity to bat and bowl, the faster shall be his growth.
When Rohit Sharma comes again, is Rahul going to associate him? Most doubtless, not. So enjoying Iyer at high now provides the administration to check out what an aggressive strategy may deliver to the staff. Unless they struggle, they’re by no means going to search out out and can auto-pilot their manner by way of tried and failed strategies.

On the face of it, the second ODI towards South Africa on Friday is a must-win sport for India to maintain the three-match sequence alive. So it must be seen if the staff administration brings in an additional batsman to shore up an iffy middle-order, on the expense of Iyer. In the grand scheme of issues, nevertheless, that will be a regressive step, for the teen must play at a stretch to get into the worldwide groove.