JOIN USShreyas Iyer has been flown in as cover for injured India captain Virat Kohli, who is a doubtful starter for the fourth Test against Australia. The Mumbai middle-order batsman is expected to reach here by Friday with the series deciding fourth and last Test match, starting on Saturday.
Kohli did not bat in the nets on Thursday. He had hurt his right shoulder on the opening day of the third Test in Ranchi when he landed heavily while attempting a dive to stop a boundary.
It forced him off the field during the afternoon session and Ajinkya Rahane had to step in as captain. Kohli, however, came out to bat at his usual No 4 position.
On Thursday, Kohli was actively involved with his team-mates and groundstaff. He even took part in the warm up with his right shoulder bandaged and indulged in some under-arm throws.
“It is just a precautionary measure that we have taken. His recovery is going well. We will get a clarity on it by tomorrow. Virat himself would not like to skip it,” a BCCI source told DH.
Kohli has made only 46 runs in five innings in the series but India cannot afford to miss their leader in the crucial match. Only a win here could help them regain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Kohli’s cover Shreyas had been named in the India Blue squad for the Deodhar Trophy one-day tournament at Visakhapatnam, also beginning on Saturday. The 22-year-old shot to limelight with a fantastic 2015-16 season. He stint with Delhi Daredevils fetched him Emerging Player of the Year award, scoring 439 runs from 14 matches. The same year he also had a memorable breakthrough first-class stint where he scored 1321 run for Mumbai to become the leading scorer in the Ranji Trophy.
He had a hundred for India ‘A’ against Bangladesh in Hyderabad and importantly whipped an unbeaten double hundred against Australia in a tour game at Brabourne Stadium last month.