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[Saba Sports News] India middle-order batsman Shreyas Iyer has made himself available for the semi-final match of the Ranji Trophy 2024 amid uncertainties regarding his central contract with the BCCI.
Iyer faced a dip in form and was dropped from the Indian team during the home series against England. Additionally, he experienced back pain, causing him to miss Ranji Trophy league stage matches against Chhattisgarh and Assam as well as the quarter-final against Baroda.
Despite Iyer citing back spasms and making himself unavailable, Nitin Patel, head of sports science and medicine at the National Cricket Academy, informed the BCCI and selectors that he is ‘fit.’
In the recently-concluded drawn quarter-final between Mumbai and Baroda at the Mumbai Cricket Association’s BKC ground, the hosts advanced to the semi-finals due to their first-innings lead. Mumbai will play against Tamil Nadu in the semi-final clash, starting on March 2
Iyer has participated in only one Ranji Trophy match this season against Andhra Pradesh, where he scored a brisk 48 runs in the first innings. Mumbai secured victory by 10 wickets, and Iyer did not get a chance to bat in the second innings.
Reflecting on his recent Test performances against England, Iyer scored a total of 104 runs across two matches, averaging 26. His best score was 35 in the first innings of the series-opener at Hyderabad, while subsequent scores in the next three innings were 13, 27 and 29.
Mumbai squad: Ajinkya Rahane (c), Prithvi Shaw, Bhupen Lalwani, Musheer Khan, Ajinkya Rahane, Shreyas Iyer, Hardik Tamore (wk), Shams Mulani, Tanush Kotian, Shardul Thakur, Tushar Deshpande, Mohit Avasthi, Amogh Bhatkar, Prasad Pawar (wk), Aditya Dhumal, Royston Dias, Dhawal Kulkarni.