"Shocks can happen" - Aakash Chopra feels it will be difficult for Shreyas Iyer to make India's T20 World Cup side

Aakash Chopra feels it will be an uphill task for Shreyas Iyer to make the Indian side for the T20 World Cup later this year.

Shreyas scored 94 runs at a below-par average of 23.50 in the recently concluded T20I series against South Africa. Although he was at his attacking best against the spinners, he was found slightly wanting against the pacers, who kept him on a tight leash.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra ranked Ruturaj Gaikwad, Axar Patel and Rishabh Pant as the top three players who failed to utilize their chances against the Proteas. He picked Shreyas at No. 4, saying:

"Last but not the least, my fourth player is Shreyas Iyer. If we talk about a pattern for Pant, there is a pattern here as well, it was there in the IPL also. Fast bowling will come, short-bowling will be done, he will try to hit shots by moving away but you are getting shocks, shocks can happen."

The cricketer-turned-commentator feels the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) skipper will struggle to find a place in Team India's top order. Chopra reasoned:

"Once again, you are looking at a very crowded top order. You have Rohit Sharma, Kohli, KL Rahul confirmed. That makes it your three and SKY (Suryakumar Yadav) is confirmed at No. 4. So where will Shreyas Iyer bat? He cannot bat in the top four and I have not even taken Ishan Kishan's name as of now."

Shreyas was Team India's star performer in the T20I series against Sri Lanka before IPL 2022. However, the Mumbai batter's problems against express pace came to the forefront during the IPL and the T20I series against South Africa, which might cost him his place in the side.

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"There is no sense in batting him down the order" - Aakash Chopra on Shreyas Iyer

Shreyas Iyer fell prey to pacers thrice during the T20I series against South Africa

Aakash Chopra highlighted that Team India have better options to play the finisher's role as well. He explained:

"So, if your number is not coming in these five as well, you will say that he cannot bat in the middle order. There is no sense in batting him down the order, Dinesh Karthik, Hardik Pandya and Rishabh Pant are slightly better options, so you will go towards them."

The 44-year-old concluded by pointing out that the fast and bouncy pitches in Australia are likely to accentuate Shreyas' problems. Chopra observed:

"So who will get stuck - Shreyas Iyer. The thing which is not going in his favor is that, if it happens to an Indian batter, we feel that the World Cup is in Australia and how can you send a batter who is struggling against short bowling and which is not misplaced. Let's be honest, the grounds will be big and bouncers will be bowled."

Shreyas Iyer will not get to put forth his case in the T20I series against Ireland as he is part of the Indian Test side. He might not get a chance in the following T20I series against England as well, considering that all of India's frontline players should be available for selection.

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