Hardik Pandya's Replacement In Team India Has Been Found Says Ex National Selector Saba Karim

Former India keeper and BCCI chief selector Saba Karim has said that the current selection panel may already have found the player to replace the injury-prone all-rounder, Hardik Pandya, as he backed Madhya Pradesh’s Venkatesh Iyer to come good.

Hardik Pandya’s place in the limited-overs setup has been a major talking point since India’s group-stage exit from the 2021 T20 World Cup. The flamboyant Baroda all-rounder hasn’t been able to contribute with the ball to both India and his IPL team Mumbai Indians (MI) since his lower back injury in 2018.

On the other hand, Venkatesh Iyer burst onto the scene in the second leg of IPL 2021 by notching up 370 runs in 10 matches with four fifties and the best score of 67. He also picked 3 wickets. In the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy 2021, Iyer had slammed two centuries and picked 8 wickets as well.

The 26-year-old Iyer, an MBA graduate, and a Rajnikanth fan, is now only behind Ruturaj Gaikwad in the list of leading run-scorers of the tournament.

I Believe That Venkatesh Iyer And Ruturaj Gaikwad Have Almost Entered The First-Team Squad: Saba Karim

Former India wicketkeeper Saba Karim has also described Iyer as an ideal replacement for Hardik Pandya, who has been struggling since his acute lower-back injury. Hardik Pandya has asked the selectors not to consider him for a while as he works on regaining full fitness.

“I believe that Venkatesh Iyer and Ruturaj Gaikwad have almost entered the first-team squad, and I’m talking about white-ball cricket. If we have to start the preparation for the 2023 World Cup, these two players should be part of the squad as soon as possible.

They should be given as much exposure as possible. Both these players provide a different spectrum for the team. Gaikwad can be the backup opener with Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul going strong. On the other hand, Iyer has performed really well while batting at No. 5 or No. 6 in the Vijay Hazare trophy. If we are looking at the replacement for Hardik Pandya, we have already found the player,” Karim said on the Khelneeti podcast.

The left-hander registered scores of 112 and 71 before hitting an impressive 151 against Chandigarh.

Also Read: IND vs SA: I Would Pick Hanuma Vihari Ahead Of Shreyas Iyer: Sanjay Bangar