Asia Cup: Shreyas Iyer looks 'comfortable' in nets following latest jolt as India gear up for Bangladesh tie

From suffering back-related issues since March this year to recovering and returning in time for the Asia Cup 2023 to again getting back spasms ahead of the marquee clash against Pakistan in the Super Four, India batter Shreyas Iyer has gone through a lot. Now, ahead of India's last Asia Cup Super-Four tie against Bangladesh on Friday in Colombo, Iyer looked comfortable in the optional training session for selected players, indicating his much-anticipated return to the XI.

Given injuries to several top players in the lead-up to two multi-team tournaments, be it Iyer, KL Rahul, and Jasprit Bumrah, India couldn't field its best XI yet. Now, with Iyer showing no signs of discomfort while playing in the nets, chances of him returning for the Bangladesh game and the final are high and will give India an edge over their opponents.

Iyer was among the few players - Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Tilak Varma and Suryakumar Yadav, alongside the coaching staff that organised an additional training camp in Colombo on the eve of the India-Bangladesh match.

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After doing jogging and stretching earlier, Iyer faced underarm and quick throwdowns in the nets before taking on the net bowlers. From hitting soothing drives to playing backfoot shots, Iyer sweated hard and made the most of this session.

Batting coach Vikram Rathore also applauded Iyer as he inched closer to sealing his spot in the XI with each shot in the nets.

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Meanwhile, considering how well spinners have fared in Colombo, having an additional option under the sleeve would not be a bad option for any captain. Also, with India already qualifying for the Asia Cup final, they can rest some players and bring in newcomers like Tilak Varma, who can bat and offer off-spin bowling for the Bangladesh game.

Speaking on the same lines, the bowling coach Paras Mhambrey, who worked with Tilak since the Under-19 days, said with him bowling some spin in this additional training session, the decision makers can look into playing him at some point if required.

"We have been working with Tilak since the Under-19 days," Mhambrey said after training. "I felt that when we had gone to South Africa for Under-19 (World Cup), he had a bowling skill that we could definitely use, and so we have been working on that consistently."

"We are looking to see if he plays and manages to get a chance to bowl even one over, we'll start from there. If we can look at that and gain confidence from his bowling, the captain will have an option."

"In case we need an extra spinner given the circumstances - based on conditions or opposition batters - especially if there are left-handers and you need an offspinner, we need an option to go to. So, we are working with him on his bowling," the bowling coach added.

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