Shreyas Iyer?? is making headlines for the right reasons and grabbing the attention of cricketing stalwarts.

One such stalwart is Sunil Gavaskar who believes that Shreyas Iyer is a better choice for batting at no. 4 in ODIs than Rishabh Pant. The former Indian captain feels Iyer should be given a permanent position in the Indian middle-order after his crucial knock in the second ODI.

The right-hander who has a couple of fifties in the five ODIs that he has played, made a robust comeback to the team after a year. He hit a classy 68-ball 71 that helped India beat the West Indies by 59 runs at the Queen’s Park Oval on Sunday.

“In my view, Rishabh Pant is much better like an MS Dhoni at 5 or 6 as a finisher because that’s where his natural game and natural flair will come into play,” Gavaskar told ‘Sony Ten’ channel.

“If India get to a great start with Virat Kohli, Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma batting for 40-45 overs, then Pant at No. 4. But if it’s a question of batting for 30-35 overs, then I think it should be Shreyas Iyer at No. 4 and Pant at No. 5.”

The 24-year-old built a 125-run partnership with skipper Kohli (120) after India lost Dhawan, Rohit and Rishabh Pant. The partnership turned out to ??be a match-winning one in the e??nd.

After Kohli was dismissed, Iyer batted beautifully and helped India post a com???petitive score of 279 on the board.

Showering heaps of praise on Iyer, Sunny Gavaskar said: “He has grabbed his opportunity. He came at No. 5. He had plenty of overs. He had the company of his skipper, Virat Kohli. Nothing quite like it because the skipper takes the pressure off you.”

“The best place to learn in cricket is the non-striker’s end. That’s what Shreyas Iyer was doing with Virat Kohli at the other end,” he added.

The former Little Master, who was a part of the 1983 World Cup-winning team, opined that the youngster deserve?d to get many more chances in ODI cricket.

“I think, if this doesn’t help him get a more permanent slot in the Indian middle-order, I don’t know what will,” the batting legend said.

“In the five matches, he played before this, he scored 2 fifties and hit a highest score of 88. He hadn’t done anything wrong to be left out of the 14 (15) (World Cup). But that’s in the past.”

“Now he has come back and scored a 71 in his first opportunity. So I think he will get a longer run.”

India will meet the West Indies for? the 3rd and final ODI at Port of Spain on Wednesday, August 14.

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Ravichandran Ashwin, who has been named in India’s Test squad for the West Indies tour, is looking forward to playing some good cricket in the West Indies.

“I do not want to set goals or targets, put pressure on myself. I am bowling to a good rhythm, the ball is coming out nicely from the hand and I just want to continue in this vein,” Ashwin told The Hindu on Monday.

Speaking about his stint with Nottinghamshire in English County Cricket, the off-spinner said �/p>

“I had a rewarding time with Nottinghamshire in the English county, was among wickets and runs. So the confidence is there.”

When asked if he was anxious whether he would make it to the Playing XI in the first Test, Ashwin replied �/p>

“Not at all. I want to take it as it comes. Importantly from my side, I am fit and I am bowling well. And I can always bat.”

In 2016, the right-armer had a successful Windies tour. He scalped 17 wickets in ?the 4 Test matches that he played.

Talking about the unpredictable pitches in the Caribbean, he said, “The surfaces there can be a bit up and down. The bounce can be inconsistent. Some of the pitches can be on the quicker side too. So you got to adapt.”

The sp?in wizard, who is no mug with the bat, felt that one cannot just write off the West Indies at home.

“They defeated England at home in a Test series last year. They have a really good pace attack and some young, exciting batsmen like Shai Hope and Shimron Hetmyer. We cannot take them lightly.”

The Indian all-round?er was glad that something like the Test Championship had ?been introduced.

“It’s a step in the right direction. It gives a context and meaning to every Test series. After all, Test cricket is the most complete and testing form of the game.”

Besides, he couldn’t wait to join his teammates.

“It will be great to be with the bunch again. There is nothing quite like playing for India. We dream of it when we are young. India has been playing some very good cricket. We have exciting times ahead.”

Ashwin concluded by saying that his mantra for getting wickets and scoring runs was to keep the m?ind light.

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India?? beat West Indies by 59 runs in the secon?d ODI as Shreyas Iyer had a 125-run partnership with Captain Virat Kohli on S?unday, August 11.

The right-hander’s steady 68-ball 71 proved to be one of t??he two match-winning?? knocks, the other being Kohli’s elegant 120 runs off 125 balls.

India lost Dhawan early, while Rohit struggled before being dismissed. ?However, the Indian skipper looked solid right from the beginning.

Batting at No. 4, Rishabh Pant managed only 20 off 35 balls before getting out yet again to ?a rash shot.

Soon after, Kohli and Iyer built a great match-winning partnership, and ?kep??t the scoreboard ticking by rotating strike. Not to forget, they balanced their defensive approach with aggressive biggies.

This is what the young bloke had to say after the match –

“I want to stay in the team for a while, the consistency is always important, I want to play well and contribute?? to the team,�/em> Iyer said.