‘He’s an experienced player’ – Ajinkya Rahane expresses delight as Shreyas Iyer rejoins Mumbai squad ahead of semi-final clash against Tamil Nadu in Ranji Trophy

Indian cricketer Shreyas Iyer, recently dropped from the Indian Cricket Borad’s central contracts list, is set to play for his home state Mumbai in the semi-finals of the Ranji Trophy 2024. This comes just days after he was unavailable for national selection due to playing in the Ranji Trophy.

India’s cricket governing body, had emphasized the importance of domestic cricket participation for players not selected for the national team. This message was seen by some as a “punishment” for Shreyas Iyer for not choosing to play in the Ranji Trophy.

Despite missing out on the central contract, Mumbai captain Ajinkya Rahane welcomed Iyer back to the team for the crucial semi-final. He believes Iyer’s experience at the international level will be invaluable for Mumbai. Rahane also expressed confidence in Iyer’s ability to contribute with the bat and inspire his teammates.

Speaking at the pre-match presser at BKC, Rahane said, “He’s an experienced player. His contribution has been amazing whenever he turned up for Mumbai. We are thrilled to have him in our team for the semifinal.”

He further added, “I don’t think he needs any encouragement or advice. He has always contributed with the bat for Mumbai, and him being around other players in the dressing room will also help the team’s cause.”

Rahane reflects on his poor run in the Ranji Trophy

Rahane is currently facing a challenging period with his batting performance. The 35-year-old has accumulated only 115 runs from six matches, averaging 12.77 with just one fifty. However, Rahane remains unfazed by these statistics, considering it as a temporary phase that needs to be acknowledged and respected.

He believes that consistent scoring happens when one bats well and trusts that there’s nothing fundamentally wrong with his batting technique.

Ajinkya Rahane at the press conference said, “I just have to go out there and play freely. I feel as a player you have to be confident and respect a phase, move forward and learn whatever you can. You don’t want to go too far ahead.”