Shreyas Iyer dropped for Asia Cup, Sparking Debate Overโค ‘Flair’ vs. ‘Practice’โฃ in โSelection
Dubai, UAE – Shreyas โขIyer has been โexcluded from India’s playing XI for the ongoing Asia cup, with Rinku singh favored for a spot in the middle order, a decision that has ignited โฃa โฃdiscussion about the criteria for selectionโ and the โคperceived value placed on inherent talent versus honed skillโฃ in Indian cricket. Theโข move raises โquestions โabout whether selectors were unduly influenced by traditional batting order hierarchies.
Cricket โฃcommentator Charlesworth distinguishes between “flair” -โค an โฃinnate, visually striking skill – and โข”superiorโ practice skill,” arguingโฃ that players โขlike Virat Kohli achieve brilliance โฃthrough dedicated โคpractice, not simply natural ability. He used the exampleโฃ of โขMuttiah Muralitharan, noting his success stemmed from varietyโค and execution, not “flair,” while Shane warne’s โคaccuracyโ was his โdefining strength.
“Virat Kohli canโ play allโค the shots, puttingโค them inโฃ context, I don’t think that is playingโข with โคflair, he does that because he hasโข practiced them.โข He has spentโค a lifetime getting brilliant at them,” Charlesworth stated, concluding his explanation with โคa direct โquestion: โข”Did youโ understand?”
The debate centers on whether Iyer’s perceived “swagger” and natural abilityโ are beingโ undervalued in favor of players who conform to more conventional expectations. Iyer’sโ IPL coach,Ricky โPonting,observed this confidence,saying during an Indian Express Idea Exchange,”You watch โhim โขwalk out to bat the other day,he walked outโ with a certain amount of โฃswagger about โhim because he’s confident,he knows he’s playing well,he knows he’s preparing well,and he knows if โฃhe does his little things right,then,you no,he can’t fail.”
Despite Iyer’s โstrongโ performances and Ponting’s assessment, selectors appear โฃto have prioritized other options.The strengthโข of India’s batting lineup and theโ perceived weakness of the opposition at the Asia Cup โฃmay have contributed to โthe decision, allowing โคthe team to absorb the impactโ of leaving a player of Iyer’s caliber on the โฃsidelines.
However, analysts suggest Iyer โdeserves โขa consistent placeโ in India’s T20 playing XI, and โขthatโค players โexhibiting confidence and a non-conformist โattitude should be โencouraged, rather thanโฃ penalized, within the Indianโ cricket system. Playing for West Zone while theโ national team competes โin Dubai โขis not ideal for maintaining Iyer’s momentum โขand confidence.