“Bit of a red flag” – Aakash Chopra raises concern over Shreyas Iyer missing India Vs Pakistan match in Asia Cup.

Shreyas Iyer’s absence from India’s Asia Cup 2023 Super Four clash against arch-rivals Pakistan due to back spasms has stirred considerable attention and apprehension, particularly with the impending World Cup on the horizon. Renowned former Indian cricketer and commentator, Aakash Chopra, shared his insights on this issue, shedding light on the potential implications for the Men in Blue.

As the rain-interrupted day in Colombo unfolded, fans and experts were taken aback when KL Rahul was selected in the playing XI instead of Shreyas Iyer. Chopra expressed his surprise, noting that it seemed to be a choice between Rahul and Ishan Kishan. He underscored the importance of providing Rahul with opportunities but questioned the timing of this decision.

Aakash Chopra said “It was a surprise for everyone in whose place KL Rahul was playing. It seemed like it was between him and Ishan Kishan and that the latter should have been played because he is in good form. However, the question was when you would play KL Rahul as at some stage you have to give him chances.”

Chopra’s concern deepened as he delved into the extent of Shreyas Iyer’s injury. Given his recent back surgery, the middle-order batter has been absent from competitive cricket for the past six to eight months. This prolonged hiatus from the game might have played a role in the back spasms he experienced during the Asia Cup, adding to the overall worry about his fitness and readiness for future tournaments.

Adding more “The first thing is that he is probably undercooked because of which the area on which the surgery happened might have flared up a little bit and the surrounding areas would have stiffened up to save that and he got a spasm due to that, if this happens repeatedly, because he had played only one match (innings) thus far, so with what fitness will he come in the World Cup? We are not even talking about the form at the moment, we are talking about the fitness first.”