Sanjay Bangar has lauded Shreyas Iyer for playing his role to perfection and for showing versatility in his batting.
Shreyas Iyer scored an unbeaten 74 off 44 deliveries in the second T20I against Sri Lanka. The knock helped Team India chase down the difficult 184-run target with seven wickets in hand and almost three overs to spare.
Sanjay Bangar Reckons Shreyas Iyer Has Become A Versatile Player
While reviewing the second T20I on Star Sports, Sanjay Bangar was effusive in his praise for Shreyas Iyer. Shreyas Iyer (74* off 44) and Ravindra Jadeja (45* off 18) were in carnage mode as India cruised to an emphatic 7-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in the second T20I. With the win, India also sealed the series 2-0. Shreyas Iyer was ably supported by Sanju Samson (39 off 25) as India crossed the finishing line in 17.1 overs to seal the series.
He said: “He [Shreyas] has become a versatile player, reads the situation well and is playing his role brilliantly. In my opinion, he has become an extremely versatile player because he plays at three, four or five and sometimes he has to go at No.6 as well.”
The former Indian batting coach Sanjay Bangar added that Shreyas Iyer was impeccable in his shot selection.
Sanjay Bangar explained: “The advantage of playing at every position is that you understand how to play according to the situation and target your scoring areas. He targeted to score runs down the ground against Binura Fernando and against rest of the bowlers, who had pace, he tried to score runs square off the wicket.”
Shreyas Iyer struck six fours and four sixes during his innings. He gave initial momentum to the Indian innings and allowed Sanju Samson and Ravindra Jadeja to play the aggressors’ role towards the end.
Irfan Pathan Wants Shreyas Iyer To Work And Improve Game Against Short Ball
Irfan Pathan also sang praises of Shreyas Iyer’s judicious shot selection.
He elaborated: “The along the ground straight drives we got to see, the straight pull shots as well, the thinking was very good. The sixes were also not against the spin but with the angle as the left-arm spinner was only trying to bowl straight.”
However, the former India all-rounder concluded by pointing out an area of improvement for the Mumbaikar.
Irfan Pathan observed: “There is just one thing that Shreyas Iyer will have to work on going ahead, the 140 kph deliveries coming towards his head. If he works slightly on that, there are a lot of things to like about him – his approach and consistency.”
Shreyas Iyer would surely want to improve his game against the short ball. With the 27-year-old now also being considered for the Indian Test side, he will want to ensure that this shortcoming does not become a stumbling block for him.
Shreyas Iyer smashed an unbeaten 57 runs off just 28 deliveries in the 1st T20I and is yet to be dismissed in the ongoing T20I series despite managing the most runs (131) so far.
Brief Scores: Sri Lanka: 183/5 in 20 overs (Pathum Nissanka 75 off 53 balls, Dasun Shanaka 47 off 19 balls; Jasprit Bumrah 1/24) lost to India: 186/3 in 17.1 overs (Shreyas Iyer 74 not out, Ravindra Jadeja 45 not out, Sanju Samson 39; Lahiru Kumara 2/31) by 7 wickets.