'Go back and score runs in domestic cricket' - Pragyan Ojha's suggestion for under-fire Shreyas Iyer

Shreyas Iyer's form in red-ball cricket has been a cause of concern for the Indian team. He scored only 41 runs from the four innings he played in South Africa. So far, in the two Tests against England, Iyer has only managed 104 runs in four innings at an average of 26.

Virat Kohli decided to skip the first two Tests of the five-match series against Ben Stokes' men and that assured the under-fire Mumbai batter a place in the playing XI. However, Iyer hasn't been able to make the most of his opportunities. Reports suggest that Kohli might opt out of two of the remaining three matches if not all of them. KL Rahul was also ruled out of the second Test after complaining of right quadriceps pain, relating to a thigh surgery he underwent in 2022. However, he is expected to return to the side for the third Test.

Former India cricketer, Pragyan Ojha, feels that it would be difficult for Iyer to hold onto his position in the playing XI when the likes of Kohli and Rahul return. The former left-arm spinner suggested that the Kolkata Knight Riders captain should return to domestic cricket and score some runs.

"Shreyas Iyer was left slightly behind. When you talk about great batters like Virat Kohli, and KL Rahul has also scored runs, when they return, they will automatically be part of the XI. So probably Shreyas Iyer and Rajat Patidar will have to make way because the situation is like that," Pragyan Ojha was quoted as saying by NDTV Sports.

"It's not that you don't want to give opportunities, but when great batters are coming and you don't have that much room, you cannot give them the cushion. So go back and score runs in domestic cricket," Ojha asserted.

Iyer has played 14 Tests so far and accumulated 811 runs at an average of 36.86. He has scored five half-centuries, while his solitary ton came against New Zealand in his debut Test in November 2021.