Who said what - top 3 expert reactions to Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul's return to India's Asia Cup 2023 squad ft. Kapil Dev

The All India Senior Selection Committee has picked KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer in the 17-member squad for the upcoming Asia Cup 2023. They will return to action after their respective injury breaks.

Iyer suffered a back injury during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy earlier this year. He missed a couple of Tests against Australia and was also ruled out of IPL 2023.

Rahul, on the other hand, suffered a thigh injury during the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG)'s IPL clash against the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). He was subsequently ruled out of the remainder of the tournament.

The Indian think tank will hope that Iyer and Rahul get the maximum amount of game time before the ICC ODI World Cup, which gets underway in October on home soil.

The return of Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul has generated a lot of buzz among fans and experts. On that note, let's take a look at the top three reactions from experts on the same.

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#1 Kapil Dev

Former Indian skipper Kapil Dev backed the selection of Rahul and Iyer for the continental tournament. The former all-rounder felt it was the right move to test everyone before the World Cup.

"Ideally, every player should be tested out," Dev told ABP News. "The World Cup is so close but you still haven't given the players a chance? What if they head to the World Cup and then get injured? The entire team will suffer. Here, at least they will get a chance to bat or bowl a little and get some rhythm going."

"Worst case scenario, if the guys get injured again during the World Cup, it will be unfair to the players who will miss out on being part of the squad," he added. "The injured players who have returned need to be given a chance. If they are fit, then can play the World Cup. There is no shortage of talent, but if they are not fit, India will have a chance to make changes to the World Cup squad right away."

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#2 Gautam Gambhir

India's 2011 World Cup winner Gautam Gambhir welcomed the decision to include Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul in the ODI fold ahead of the World Cup. However, the cricketer-turned-politician issued a warning, saying that they should be picked on the basis of their performance and not on their stature.

"One thing is clear; there is no front-runner for a position when you are trying to win the World Cup," Gambhir said on Star Sports. "Form and impact are important. The players who are in form need to be picked, rather than those who are not. Let it be Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, or anybody."

“If Tilak Varma is in better form than someone, if Suryakumar Yadav is in better form than Shreyas Iyer or KL Rahul or Ishan Kishan, then you need to start that player. Because the World Cup comes once in four years, you don’t go and see who is a front-runner or not," he added.

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#3 Ravichandran Ashwin

Senior Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin also welcomed the decision to bring the injured duo back into the mix ahead of the 50-over showpiece event. Ashwin believes that KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer have locked the No. 5 and No. 4 positions, respectively, in the ODI side.

“Ever since Yuvraj Singh and MS Dhoni retired, India were desperately looking for a replacement," Ashwin said on his YouTube channel. "Rahul has filled that slot with expertise. He is a definite lock at No. 5 and is also our wicketkeeper-batsman."

"Shreyas Iyer is as important as KL Rahul to this side. One of the best players in the Indian line-up against spin and a consistent No. 4 for India. He has played a crucial part in their success whenever he has played at 4. If he is completely fit to play, there should be no debate on the No. 4 position," Ashwin added.

Will India benefit from KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer's return? Let us know in the comment box.