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Venkatesh Iyer’s superb form seems to have finally paid off after the sensational all-rounder is all set to book his berth in the ODI squad for the upcoming South Africa tour.
The 25-year old scored a blistering 151 off 113 deliveries to seal a victory for his side Madhya Pradesh against Chandigarh in the Group D fixture of Vijay Hazare Trophy 2021-22. MP eventually managed to secure a win by 5 runs in a nail-biting clash played at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Rajkot.
Iyer’s innings was comprised of 8 fours and 10 sixes with a strike rate of 133.62. But Iyer’s terrific form did not stop with the bat only as the all-rounder managed to scalp two wickets as well. Iyer is currently at second spot among the highest run-scorers in Vijay Hazare Trophy.
The new Indian sensation came down to bat when his side were 56 for 4. A solid 122-run stand between Iyer and skipper Aditya Shrivastava helped MP to score an impressive total of 331 for 9 in 50 overs.
In reply, Chandigarh skipper Manan Vohra scored a ton and Ankit Kaushik managed to notch a century as well. Chandigarh came pretty close to secure a victory but could eventually manage to score 326 for 8 in 50 overs.
Against Kerala, Iyer scored 112 runs off just 84 deliveries and against Uttarakhand he played a crucial knock of 71 off just 49 deliveries. His side are currently at second spot in Group D with 12 points (three wins and one defeat).
Iyer, had recently made his India debut against New Zealand in the three-match T20I series. His terrific form in the Vijay Hazare Trophy will surely give the selectors some headache when they will have to select the squad for the upcoming tour of South Africa. So, can Iyer turn out to be a suitable replacement for Hardik Pandya? Only time will tell.
