With India welcoming the return of superstar Shreyas Iyer in its squad for the 4th and 5th T20I against Australia, young spinner Ravi Bishnoi had claimed that the premier batter will make a big difference to the batting lineup of the Men In Blue. Bringing a huge reputation in the shortest format, Iyer had an impressive run at the One Day International (ODI) World Cup last month. Iyer amassed 530 runs for Rohit Sharma and Co. as hosts India finished runners-up in the World Cup.
The star batter was rested for the first three T20Is of the five-game series between the 2023 World Cup finalists. Playing his first international game since the 2023 edition of the ICC World Cup, Iyer showcased a batting failure as the premier batter was dismissed for 8 off 7 balls in the 4th T20I against Australia. Roped in as the No.3 batter for the remainder of the five-match series, Iyer was removed by Aussie spinner Tanveer Sangha for cheap although India posted a match-winning total to seal the series.
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However, Iyer was quick to make amends in the 5th T20I against Australia at the M.Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Sunday. The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) skipper played a brilliant knock of 53 off 37 balls to help Suryakumar Yadav’s Team India post 160-8 in 20 overs. Iyer earned plaudits for tackling the Aussie bowlers on a challenging pitch in Bengaluru.
Kaif silences Iyer’s critics after Australia T20Is
Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter on Sunday, former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif extended his support to Iyer, who earlier had to burst the short-ball bubble to strengthen his place in India’s playing XI. “Shreyas Iyer has had a phenomenal run recently and it should be appreciated. High time the world starts talking about his strengths and not keep pointing to his weakness. @ShreyasIyer15,” Kaif wrote to hit back at Iyer’s critics on social media.
Batting at a strike rate of 143.24, Iyer smoked two sixes and smashed five fours in his entertaining knock. Joining forces with Axar Patel, who played a crucial cameo of 31 off 21 balls, the No.3 batter top-scored for India in its thrilling six-run win over Australia. Iyer had earlier retained his place in the white-ball squads of the Indian team for the upcoming South Africa tour. The 28-year-old is also picked in India’s Test squad for the bilateral series against the Proteas.
Hasibur Rahaman is a passionate sports journalist. He covers everything from cricket to field hockey, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis of sporting events, both within India and on the international stage.
