“He got what no one else thought” - Harbhajan Singh slams Indian team management for thinking about dropping batter in IND vs ENG 2025 ODIs

Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh has expressed his agitation with the management for contemplating dropping Shreyas Iyer from the ODI XI against England. Harbhajan credited Shreyas for making the first of the three ODIs a one-sided game in India's favor.

Iyer, who donned the national colors for the first time since the Sri Lanka tour last year, scored a quick-fire 59 in Nagpur on February 6 after the visitors had dismissed the openers Rohit Sharma (2) and Yashasvi Jaiswal (15) cheaply.

The right-hander was trapped LBW by Jacob Bethell but he had set a solid platform for the hosts, who eventually chased down 249 with four wickets to spare. However, he later revealed that he wouldn't have played had Virat Kohli not picked up a last-minute knee injury.

Speaking to Hindustan Times on the sidelines of ILT20, Harbhajan said he was surprised that a proven performer like Iyer was on the verge of being left out.

"Shreyas is a proven performer. He scored a lot of runs in the World Cup. When a player scores so many runs, he thinks he would get opportunities. He is the best in his eye and hence, even God felt the same. He got what no one else thought and what someone else thought for Shreyas, that didn't happen. The player whom you were thinking about dropping, he played such an innings, he made it an one-sided game. The 50 runs he scored, changed the complexion of the game," he said.

The Mumbai-born cricketer had a sensational 2023 World Cup campaign, as he batted at No. 4 throughout and mustered 530 runs in 11 matches at 66.25. He smashed a couple of centuries as well, including one in the semi-final against New Zealand.

"Rishabh Pant will have to wait for his opportunity to come" - Harbhajan Singh

Rishabh Pant. (Image Credits: Getty)

With Rishabh Pant unable to find a spot in the XI for the first ODI, Harbhajan reckons there is plenty of competition as far as wicketkeeper-batters go. In the same interview, the former player said:

"Rishabh Pant is a very good player but the way the management is thinking right now, it seems like KL Rahul is being preferred as a wicketkeeper-batter option. So now Rishabh Pant will have to wait for his opportunity to come."

He added:

"Dhruv Jurel, Sanju Samson are also in the line. I just hope that the team which is selected right now, performs well. I hope KL Rahul performs well. As far as Rishabh Pant, he will eventually be there in the lineup, be it today or tomorrow."

India and England will play the second ODI in Cuttack on Sunday, February 9.