Shreyas Iyer's highly anticipated return to action, following his release from the Indian Test team and amidst the ongoing BCCI contract controversy, ended on a disappointing note. The middle-order batsman was dismissed for just three runs off eight balls in the Ranji Trophy semifinal match between Mumbai and Tamil Nadu at the Sharad Pawar Cricket Academy BKC in Mumbai on Sunday.
Iyer entered the crease after Sai Kishore removed Mumbai captain Ajinkya Rahane for only 19 runs, continuing the veteran India cricketer's poor form in the tournament. Facing a bouncer from Sandeep Warrier, Tamil Nadu seemed determined to exploit Iyer's vulnerabilities. In the following over, Iyer attempted to take on Warrier by charging down the track, but the pacer adjusted his length, causing Iyer to play onto his stumps.
Earlier in the week, Iyer was excluded from BCCI's annual retainership for the 2023/24 season due to his refusal to comply with the board's directive to participate in domestic cricket after being dropped from the Indian Test team during the series against England. Despite being expected to represent Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy league matches, Iyer missed those games due to back spasms.
The confusion arose when reports revealed that the National Cricket Academy had declared him fit to play for Mumbai, which angered the BCCI selection committee as Iyer was later seen at the Kolkata Knight Riders Academy in Mumbai.
Despite recovering from his injury at the KKR camp, Iyer made himself available for selection for the semifinal game against Tamil Nadu, but it was too late for the 29-year-old. He will now seek redemption in the second innings of the match and potentially in the Ranji Trophy final if Mumbai qualifies.
Looking ahead, Iyer is set to feature in the upcoming IPL 2024 season where he will lead the Kolkata Knight Riders.
Also Read| Gujarat Titans' INR 3.6 crore signee meets with bike accident ahead of IPL 2024
