IPL 2023: Venkatesh Iyer makes strong case for international comeback ahead of ODI World Cup

Venkatesh Iyer smashed his maiden ton against the Mumbai Indians on April 16. 2023, and became the second KKR batter, after Brendon McCullum, to hit three figures. (Photo via Twitter/Venkatesh Iyer)

Venkatesh Iyer couldn't shine in the limited opportunities for India in white-ball cricket. Dropped after nine T20Is and two ODI games, Iyer returned to the domestic grind, but a career-threatening ankle injury caused a roadblock.

Iyer is back on his toes in the 2023 edition of the Indian Premier League. He is striking at his best at 148.74 and has been the top scorer (296) for the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) after nine games. The left-hander smashed his maiden ton against the Mumbai Indians and became the second KKR batter, after Brendon McCullum, to hit three figures, the first in 15 years.

Iyer knocking on selectors' door

Such heroics in the World Cup year augur well for the batting all-rounder. The red-hot form could open doors for an international comeback. The 28-year-old has a wide range of strokes and a ferocious bat swing. Since there is no clarity on the return of Rishabh Pant, roping in another left-hander could bolster the Indian squad for the World Cup.

The World No. 1 T20I batter Suryakumar Yadav is yet to click in the ODI format, while Shreyas Iyer is recovering from a back injury. The KKR boy can cut through if his bat continues to talk.

Iyer is a handy right-arm medium pacer as well. Unfortunately, the Impact Player rule in the current IPL narrowed the opportunities for an all-rounder to blossom since one can opt for a specialist bowler while fielding.

He returned figures of 6/20 in a Syed Mushtaq Ali game against Rajasthan last season. And for India, he has five wickets under his belt in nine T20I appearances.

Career growth with Pandya

Iyer came across as the perfect replacement for Hardik Pandya when the senior pro was out with a back injury and was far from bowling. But then, Iyer got dropped when Pandya regained fitness. The Vadodara cricketer made a statement by leading the new franchise, Gujarat Titans, to victory in IPL 2022 and gradually started leading the Indian team in T20I cricket.

Not being selected for the T20 World Cup 2022 disappointed Iyer, but he has a second chance since the ODI mega event is in India.

Vijay Shankar, another seam-bowling all-rounder, played the 2019 World Cup with Pandya in seaming conditions in the United Kingdom. Though not all Indian wickets promise assistance to pacers, there is no harm in keeping an option. Plus, Iyer has played domestic cricket all around India and is used to the conditions.

Situational player

Iyer scores heavily on game awareness. He can hold the middle order in the 25th to 40th over before cutting it loose at death. The stroke-maker has 1,252 runs in 32 List-A games, including four centuries at an average of 48.15.

Iyer has shown a glimpse of his abilities in T20I cricket. The couple of 30s against the West Indies in the home series last year underlined his skills. He finished with a strike rate of 184.21 in the final game, where he was unbeaten on 35 off 19 balls before cameos of 18-ball 33 and 13-ball 24.

In the game against Gujarat Titans this year, Iyer scored 83 off 40 with five massive sixes. The knock set the tone for the chase of 205. Rinku Singh hit the final nail with five consecutive sixes in the last over to take KKR over the line.

Discipline and clear goals

Iyer realized his potential under Brendon McCullum in the second-half of IPL 2021 when he single-handedly took KKR to the final.

And later, Chandrakant Pandit walked into his life. The former India cricketer, a renowned domestic cricket coach who has guided states such as Vidarbha and Madhya Pradesh to Ranji Trophy titles out of nowhere, injected discipline and a clear goal.

Pandit is a tactician and a taskmaster who is now the coach of KKR. "He believes in fitness and discipline and is strong on ethics. He is also my domestic coach. I have been working with him for three years. Irrespective of a win or loss, he expects the team to put up a disciplined show. We are a disciplined side off the field, and that's because of him," Iyer told reporters after the win against the Titans.

Iyer's goal should be to finish the season with 400+ runs, and guide KKR to the playoffs. Consistency in the IPL could seal the deal for the flamboyant batter.