“I worry about his selection now with this niggle” - Sanjay Manjrekar reacts to KL Rahul’s latest injury scare

Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar has expressed concern over KL Rahul picking up another niggle, having just recovered from his thigh injury that he suffered during IPL 2023.

Rahul was picked in Team India’s 17-member squad for the Asia Cup, which was announced on Monday, August 21. However, BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar revealed at a press conference that Sanju Samson will be a backup player, as Rahul has suffered a niggle not related to his original injury.

During a debate on flexibility in India’s batting order, Manjrekar brought up the topic of Rahul’s fitness. He said on Star Sports/ESPN Cricinfo’s ‘Selection Day Live’ programme:

“The whole debate is over how your 4, 5, 6 are going to look. KL Rahul, I worry about his selection now with this niggle. (About) Shreyas Iyer, (I am) more optimistic."

“Let’s not confuse flexibility - the kind of flexibility that I expect. For example, when I mention Virat Kohli as a No. 4 to solve the problem with Ishan Kishan batting down the order, that’s the kind of flexibility that I am talking about,” the 58-year-old went on to add.

Manjrekar added that he was fine with some in-game changes in the middle order but said that the starting template needs to be clear.

“Down the order, at numbers 4, 5, 6, you have two spinners operating on a turning pitch, then those kind of moves are commonplace and something that you expect. Somebody like a Hardik Pandya coming in when there’s an off-spinner. Those are okay.”

Captain Rohit Sharma also issued a clarification over the flexibility debate in the batting order. He made it clear that players would not be sent up and down randomly.

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“Shreyas Iyer gets in straightway” - Manjrekar on his preferred playing XI for Asia Cup 2023

Asked whether India should be guarded in using Shreyas and Rahul during the Asia Cup, as they are coming back from injury, Manjrekar replied that if possible both should play in every game in the build-up to the World Cup.

“Shreyas Iyer gets in straightway. KL Rahul, if the niggle is okay by the time he surfaces in Sri Lanka, he plays there as well. These are your proven class players with a lot of experience on the big stage. On the big platform, the World Cup, if you see, the heroes have always been guys who have been there, done that - Rohit Sharma five hundreds in the last World Cup," he said.

"You need people like KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer. The best way is to get them to play every match possible till September 5,” the former cricket opined.

India begin their Asia Cup 2023 campaign against arch-rivals Pakistan in Pallekele on September 2.