Had Shreyas Iyer been fit then Rahane would not have got the place in WTC Finals: Former pacer Irfan Pathan

The major highlight of India’s World Test Championship final squad announcement on Tuesday was the return of Ajinkya Rahane to the team after 15 months. The announcement came as no surprise, as Shreyas Iyer was ruled out of the grand finale due to a back injury that required surgery in the UK. India is set to face Australia in their second WTC final at The Oval, London from June 7 to 11. Given Rahane’s past performances in overseas conditions, former India cricketer Irfan Pathan believes his inclusion will be advantageous for the team.

Speaking on Star Sports’ Cricket Live, Irfan Pathan said: “Had Shreyas Iyer been fit then Rahane would not have got the place in the WTC Final side. But as far as the current form is concerned, he is looking in great touch. The format in which he is playing now is completely different but Rahane’s performance on foreign pitches has always been good and this has gone in his favour.”