Legendary Indian batsman Sunil Gavaskar criticized Shreyas Iyer after the batsman’s patchy performance at the ICC World Cup 2023. Following a scathing critique of Iyer, the former Indian opener hailed the Mumbai-born batter for overcoming early setbacks to score back-to-back half-centuries.
On a difficult wicket at Eden Gardens, Indian batsman Shreyas Iyer scored an amazing 77 off just 87 balls. When Iyer came to bat, the Men in Blue were in a tight spot after losing the openers. The right-hander took a while to get going, but he soon picked up speed and timed his innings perfectly to hit a flurry of boundaries.
The batting symbol Gavaskar said nothing during the entire conversation with Iyer, allowing former Indian head coach Ravi Shastri to talk about India’s thrilling victory. After Iyer left, Gavaskar explained why he could not question Shreyas Iyer face-to-face.
“Yeah, I wanted to ask him something, but I got a bit distracted because there was an Indian flag with a company’s name on it. And you know, that is really not allowed. The India flag cannot be defaced by anything.”
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“They (the flag-bearers) have gone now. In fact, I believe the police, next time they see something like that, should not only confiscate the flag but also warn those people not to put any advertising or whatever it is, whether a company or their product, on the India flag. That is completely not all. I am sorry, I got a bit distracted. I know Ravi (Shastri) wanted me to ask Shreyas a question, but I was just looking at those guys, and trying to signal them,” Sunil Gavaskar said.
Shreyas Iyer solidified his position in the side by hitting 77 off 87 balls in a contest where former India captain Virat Kohli hammered a record-tying 49th century. The milestone man and Iyer’s vital third-wicket combination helped India to a match-winning total of 326/5 in 50 overs. In response, South Africa, collapsed for just 83 runs in 27.1 overs, losing the game in Kolkata by a staggering 243 runs.
With eight straight victories, Team India will look to advance undefeated to the 2023 ODI World Cup semifinals. The Men in Blue are eager to put on yet another masterful display before the highly anticipated Semifinals as they play the competitive Netherlands in the final league of the marquee event.
