Former Indian batter Mohammad Kaif has urged Indian skipper Shreyas Iyer to give a long rope to Ravi Bishnoi in the three-match T20I series against Zimababwe. Bishnoi played a solitary T20I against England and was dropped after conceding 60 runs in his quota of four overs.

The leg-spinner bowled two back-foot no-balls and was taken to the cleaners by Jacob Bethell. Bishnoi was dropped from subsequent matches against England but Kaif wants Iyer to give all the three matches to the leg-spinner against Zimbabwe.

Bishnoi was part of the opening game against Zimbabwe and returned with figures of 1-24 in his quota of four overs.

“Bishnoi only played one match in England before he was dropped. I want to see Iyer handle Bishnoi well. Tell him,’ Brother, no matter how you play, you will get the full series’. Atleast give him the chance. If you give him just one match and then drop him, then there will be insecurity in the team,” Mohammad Kaif said on Cricbuzz.

“A player coming into the team witnessing this might think that if he does not perform in one match, he might get dropped. If you don’t come in with the attacking style without any pressure, then you will lag behind in T20 cricket. So, in my opinion, Bishnoi, especially, assure him that you will play all matches, so bowl freely,” Kaif added.

On the other hand, Shreyas Iyer urged his players to not pay too much heed to the outside noise ahead of the T20I series against Zimbabwe.

“I have to convey this message that whatever talks are happening outside, what people will say, we don’t have to think much about that. We have to stay in the present day. The more we play good cricket, the more we play with unity as a team, the team will be benefitted. We will think about the individual later,” Shreyas Iyer said during the pre-match press conference.

India is chasing 126 runs in the series opener.