Skipper Iyer banks on Chahal factor in ‘A’ series against South Africa
India ‘A’ captain Shreyas Iyer feels the return of leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal to redball cricket will help his team in the first unofficial Test against South Africa ‘A’ here.
“He [Chahal] will be playing red-ball cricket after a long time. Having a leg spinner in the team is always has an advantage, especially on these tracks and also they can get wickets at any moment of time because you get lot of turn on this pitch,” Iyer told reporters on the eve of the game.
“It is going to be a great exposure for him as well because he carries lot of experience being a senior player. Also, he has played in different conditions. He can play a major role if he backs himself.”
Chahal has not played firstclass cricket since December 2016, but the Indian team management and especially skipper Virat Kohli had indicated that he wants the wiry leg-spinner for five-day matches too. It is widely believed that Chahal is being kept match-ready as the selectors have named senior squad for only three Test matches in England.
Iyer himself is playing redball cricket after an eightmonth gap and is looking forward to the challenge.
“I played my last match in December. My approach to red-ball has always been positive. I am very flamboyant in terms of my shot making and I always back myself. I always think positive about my batting. With regards to getting selected in the national team, it is not in my hands . I will do my job. That is to keep performing,” he said.
Iyer also said that captaincy has played a big role in changing his mental set up , compelling him to shoulder more responsibilities on and off the field.