I am an all-rounder so I have to be equally focussed on both aspects: Venkatesh Iyer

There are some notable inclusions and exclusions in India’s T20I squad for India’s upcoming T20I series against New Zealand which gets underway on November 17. With several first-choice players playing continuous cricket, the likes of Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, and Mohammed Shami have been unsurprisingly provided rest. However, the absence of Hardik Pandya in the squad indicates the BCCI selectors won’t consider his one-dimensional abilities and fitness issues.

Venkatesh Iyer, who seems to be a like-to-like replacement for Pandya, has been instead included in the squad. The southpaw burst onto the scenes in the UAE leg of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 where he impressed one and all with his all-round abilities. While he scored runs consistently at the top, his ability to chip in with handy overs also helped the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). In fact, the youngster was instrumental in taking KKR to the final.

I am an all-rounder so I have to be equally focussed on both aspects: Venkatesh Iyer

His blitzes in IPL 2021 earned him a spot in the national team and Iyer would be raring to make a mark. Fast bowlers are prone to injures and Iyer is well aware of the fact. Hence, he has focused on workload management right from his junior days.

“My workload management has been good so far. I am an all-rounder so I have to be equally focused on both aspects of the game. That’s what I have been doing right from my age-group state-level days. It’s so far not been a very big issue,” the 26-year-old was quoted as saying by the Indian Express.

“I have always worked hard on my red-ball game and it has been my conscious effort not be one dimensional. If you have to play for India, you have to be consistent across formats and that’s why I have put in a lot of work in both departments of the game. As much as I have worked on my batting, I have also worked on my bowling,” he added.

With the next T20 World Cup being less than a year away, Iyer would be determined to shine in national colours and get a ticket to Australia. However, he’s most likely to be slated in the middle or lower order, unlike his opening position in IPL, with the likes of Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul in the ranks. Hence, the youngster’s versatility would also be tested against the Kiwis.