While Virat Kohli is breaking record after record, Rohit Sharma is earning plaudits for his leadership in the ongoing ICC Men’s ODI World Cup 2023, Shreyas Iyer has been India’s X-factor in the middle order. Ahead of India’s World Cup 2023 clash against five-time champions Australia, former Indian opener Gautam Gambhir has named Iyer as the ‘biggest game changer’ who will nullify the spin challenge in the middle overs.
"Shreyas Iyer is the biggest game changer for me in this World Cup. He was injured, had to fight for his place, and to score a century in 70 balls in the knockout is simply outstanding. He'll be the key for India in the Final when Maxwell and Zampa bowl," Gambhir told Star Sports after Australia’s three-wicket win over South Africa at Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
In India’s World Cup opening encounter against Australia, Iyer departed early as the hosts lost three wickets for just two runs. He could not face the spinners but he brushed the criticism aside and slammed more than 500 runs including two centuries. Against Australia’s leading wicket-taker Adam Zampa and off-spinner Glenn Maxwell, Iyer’s role will be crucial in the middle overs.
Zampa was unable to take a wicket against India in Chennai as Virat Kohli and KL Rahul took the game away from Australia in a low-scoring encounter. He was unimpressive against South Africa as well. The leg-spinner leaked boundaries while other bowlers challenged the Proteas. In between, he has 22 wickets including three four-fers.
Iyer is India's third-highest run-scorer in the tournament. He is seventh overall with 526 runs from 10 innings. However, it is his strike rate of 113.12 that has impressed the most.
Midway through the tournament, Iyer was criticised for getting out to the short ball. After his sensational knock against New Zealand in the semifinal, Iyer revealed that the criticism made him angry.
“I didn't perform good in 1-2 matches at the start of the World Cup. I was getting the starts, but wasn't able to convert them into big ones. But if you look at it (the stats), I was not out against Afghanistan and Pakistan, and then I had two bad innings. Then, people started saying that he has a problem. Inside, I was very angry, I was not showing it but I knew my time would come and then I'd prove myself. And it has come now, at the right time,” Iyer said.
MORE ON SPORTS TAK
