" Shreyas Iyer is eager to.."- MCA's Sanjay Patil thunderbolt to BCCI

Chief selector of the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) Sanjay Patil revealed that Shreyas Iyer has shown strong interest in playing in the Buchi Babu tournament. Sanjay Patil said that Shreyas Iyer's participation, even in one match, will send a positive message to other state teams in domestic cricket.

The All India Buchi Babu Invitation Cricket Tournament 2024 will be played ahead of the senior men’s domestic cricket season. The tournament will begin on August 15 in Tamil Nadu. This invitational tournament will be hosted by the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) and will be played at four venues.

Sarfaraz Khan will lead the Mumbai state team in the upcoming domestic tournament. Ajinkya Rahane and Prithvi Shaw weren't included in the squad due to their respective commitments with county cricket. Suryakumar Yadav confirmed that he will play one match in the upcoming Buchi Babu tournament.

Shreyas Iyer Is Eager To Play Red-Ball Cricket - Sanjay Patil

On Tuesday, August 13, Sanjay Patil said that Shreyas Iyer is eager to play for Mumbai in the Buchi Babu tournament. Patil noted that both Iyer and Suryakumar Yadav will participate in just one match, which will send a strong message to other state teams that Test players are interested in domestic cricket.

“Shreyas Iyer showed keen interest in playing for Mumbai in the Buchi Babu tournament. He is eager to play red-ball cricket. Though Shreyas and Surya will be playing only one match, it will be a strong message to other state teams that Test players are also keen to play for Mumbai,” Patil told mid-day.

The Buchi Babu tournament will provide an excellent opportunity for Iyer to prepare for the upcoming Test series against Bangladesh in September. Team India will face the Bangladesh cricket team in the two-match series, with the first Test scheduled to be played in Chennai from September 19-23.

“Shreyas Iyer will play for Mumbai team at the Buchi Babu Invitational tournament organized by Tamil Nadu Cricket Association. He will be playing the Mumbai v Jammu & Kashmir match to be played from 27th August 2024 at Coimbatore," in a press release, from the MCA said.

Shreyas Iyer Last Seen In Action Against Sri Lanka

Earlier this year, Shreyas Iyer was dropped from the Indian squad for the final three Tests of the series against England. The right-handed batter registered scores of 35, 13, 27, and 29 in the four innings. Overall, Iyer has scored 811 runs in 14 Tests at an average of 36.86, including one century and five fifties.

The 29-year-old aims to reestablish himself in Test cricket under head coach Gautam Gambhir. He recently worked with Gambhir for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the IPL 2024 season. Shreyas will focus on the upcoming Test season. The Men in Blue will play 10 Tests between September 2024 and January 2025.

Iyer last played in a three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka, where he struggled against spin. He registered scores of 23, 7, and 8 in the ODI series in Sri Lanka.

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