Shreyas Iyer's Underrated Value in the Middle Order Revealed by former Indian No. 4 batsman: 'He deserves more recognition'

After honing his skills over the past 18 months in domestic cricket, the stylish batter showcased his talent when the pressure was on. In a crucial Champions Trophy match against New Zealand, he stepped up for India, rescuing them from a tough situation and contributing significantly to their final score.

Shreyas held one end when India lost their top order cheaply and stitched a 98-run stand with Axar Patel. He missed out on a century and scored 79 from 98 deliveries, which was a perfect blend of aggression and caution.

Former India batter Ambati Rayudu, who used to bat at number 4, talked about the importance of having a solid player at that position who can stabilise things when the top order fails.

"The importance of a No. 4 batsman is evident here. You need someone to play such crucial innings when the top order fails, especially on challenging surfaces that are not easy to bat on. That’s where No. 4 and No. 5 become critical in an ODI game," Rayudu said on JioHotstar.

‘Shreyas Iyer handled short balls well’: Rayudu

He managed to tackle the short balls confidently, which used to be an area of concern for him, as Rayudu also discussed this while sharing his assessment of his innings.

"Shreyas played an amazing innings, and his partnership with Axar Patel was crucial. The ease with which he batted on this pitch was remarkable. He handled short balls well until he got out and played spin beautifully, using the crease and angles to his advantage. He picked the pace of the ball much better than many others in the Indian lineup," he added.

The former CSK batter also pointed out that Iyer didn't get the same amount of attention as other players in the side.

"It was an unbelievable knock, and he's been a champion at No. 4. We don’t talk about him enough, but he has had a great impact on this Indian side," he concluded.

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