The Ranji Trophy 2024 champions Mumbai led by Ajinkya Rahane marks the return of the right-handed batsman Shreyas Iyer and all-rounder Shardul Thakur to the squad ahead of the Irani Cup 2024. The one-off test series between Mumbai and the Rest of India (ROI) is scheduled to take place from 01st October (Tuesday) to 05th October (Saturday) at Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow.
Earlier, the 61st edition of the Irani Cup was supposed to be held in Mumbai, but the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) decided to relocate the event to Lucknow.
Shardul Thakur’s Comeback to Play for Mumbai in the Irani Cup
After undergoing ankle surgery in June 2024, Shardul Thakur’s return after a long gap will be a piece of good news for the Mumbai squad to make use of his all-round abilities to strengthen the batting and bowling department.
The 32-year-old participated in the KSCA (Karnataka State Cricket Association) tournament in recent times. But, he wasn’t in his best form by scoring a duck and conceded 29 runs in 8 overs without taking any wickets.
Also, the top MCA (Mumbai Cricket Association) official confirmed that he will be available for the upcoming five-day first-class competition.
Moreover, Shardul wasn’t able to participate in the Duleep Trophy 2024. But, he played an important role in Mumbai’s success in the Ranji Trophy 2024. He scored 255 runs at an average of 31.87 and grabbed 16 wickets in 5 matches at an average of 20.12. Especially, he made an essential contribution with the bat during the semi-final and final match with these scores tabulated below:
| Round | Opponent Team | Score | Strike Rate |
| Semi-Final | Tamil Nadu | 109 runs from 104 balls (including 13 fours and 4 sixes) | 104.81 |
| Final | Vidarbha | 75 runs from 69 balls (including 8 fours and 3 sixes) | 108.70 |
Thakur played his last international match for India in the first out of two match test series in the South African tour 2023-2024. However, he was in poor form by scoring 24 runs from 33 balls (including 3 fours) and took a single wicket by conceding 101 runs in just 19 overs.
Shreyas Iyer Participates in Irani Cup to secure a spot in the National Team
The forthcoming edition of the Irani Cup will be crucial for Shreyas Iyer to make a stunning return to international cricket by strengthening his position on the national side. He was sidelined from India’s 16-member squad in the ongoing 2-match test series against Bangladesh.
Iyer played his previous international match in the 3-match ODI series against Sri Lanka and scored just 38 runs in 3 innings. Here are his scores batting at different positions in the Sri Lankan tour that proves his poor form in white ball cricket:
- 1st ODI: 23 runs from 23 balls (including 4 fours), batting at 5th position.
- 2nd ODI: 7 runs from 9 balls (including1 four), batting at 6th position.
- 3rd ODI: 8 runs from 7 balls (including 1 four), batting at 5th position.
The 29-year-old has had a disappointing campaign as the captain of the India D team in the recently concluded Duleep Trophy 2024. Shreyas led his team to a single victory against India B, out of the three matches played.
The middle-order batter wasn’t in his best form by scoring 154 runs in 6 innings at an average of 25.67, including 2 half centuries and his scores against these three teams are listed below in a tabular form:
| Opponent Team | Runs Scored in 1st Innings | Balls Faced in 1st Innings | Number of Fours and Sixes | Runs Scored in 2nd Innings | Balls Faced in 2nd Innings | Number of Fours and Sixes |
| India C | 9 runs | 16 balls | 1 Four | 54 runs | 44 balls | 9 Fours and 1 six |
| India A | 0 | 7 balls | – | 41 runs | 55 balls | 8 Fours |
| India B | 0 | 5 balls | – | 50 runs | 40 balls | 7 Fours |
Final Opinion:
The Irani Cup 2024 will be an important opportunity for both Shreyas Iyer and Shardul Thakur to show their best skills and secure back their spot on the Indian cricket team.
At present, the Indian cricket team under Rohit Sharma’s captaincy is aiming to continue their dominance in the ongoing Bangladesh Test series. As the second test match started today (27 September), Team India will be aiming to seal the red-ball home series with a complete whitewash.
Iyer, who was excluded from India’s squad, has a valuable opportunity to deliver consistent performances in domestic cricket. But, he needs to score huge runs so that he can grab the selectors’ attention among the other in-form players who are currently performing well in test cricket. Overall, it is a huge challenge for Shreyas and Shardul not only to earn their deserved place back in the team but also to ensure their participation in the forthcoming Border Gavaskar Trophy in Australia starting from November 22