“Where will Venkatesh Iyer fit in the XI”: Saba Karim questions selectors regarding India squad for New Zealand T20Is

Saba Karim questions selectors: The former Indian wicket-keeper batter has found faults with the Indian squad for New Zealand T20Is.

Former India wicket-keeper batter Saba Karim has joined the bandwagon to be part of prominent names who have criticized the Chetan Sharma-led selection committee with respect to India’s 16-member T20I squad for New Zealand series.

The selection committee has made as many as nine changes to the squad which had taken part in the ICC T20 World Cup 2021. While there haven’t been any questions asked regarding the multiple changes, many have found faults with the selectors naming as many as five opening batters for a three-match series.

Rohit Sharma and Lokesh Rahul, the recently elected T20I captain and vice-captain respectively, are likely to play all the matches. Considering that the series will also kick-start former captain Rahul Dravid’s tenure as head coach, senior players like Sharma and Rahul should be a regular feature of all the T20Is as another World Cup is to be played in less than a year.

In such a scenario, either Ishan Kishan, Ruturaj Gaikwad or Venkatesh Iyer will have to bat at unusual batting positions or warm the bench. A bigger problem lies in the fact that the presence of five openers have consumed spots of designated finishers in the squad.

Saba Karim questions selectors regarding India squad for New Zealand T20Is

Speaking on the Khelneeti podcast, Karim labelled the selection decisions to be “quick and panicked”. Karim also talked about how selecting so many players for the same role calls for the selectors and team management discussing roles in a bid to provide more clarity to players.

“It is a very quick and panicked reaction from Indian selectors looking at the team’s composition. Too many openers – [KL] Rahul, [Ishan] Kishan, [Venkatesh] Iyer, [Ruturaj] Gaikwad, Rohit [Sharma]. Where will all these top-order players play? Ruturaj Gaikwad performed well in the IPL while opening the batting for CSK,” Karim was quoted as saying on Khelneeti podcast.

“You have also opened the batting with Ishan Kishan in World Cup. Where will Venkatesh Iyer fit in the playing XI. Or else, you start grooming these players at different positions. You need to discuss clearly with the players and tell them their role specifically.”

Iyer, who has received a maiden national call-up for scoring 370 runs at an average and strike rate of 41.11 and 128.47 respectively for Kolkata Knight Riders in the recently concluded season of the Indian Premier League, has been fast-tracked into the national squad after just doing well in half an IPL season.

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The development has also invited criticism for the selection committee for the selectors could have easily selected a natural middle-order batter who would’ve gotten to bat at his preferred batting number against New Zealand.