Aakash Chopra praises Shreyas Iyer’s ability to control an innings

India rode on a couple premium batting displays from Cheteshwar Pujara and Shreyas Iyer to steady their ship after an early wobble that saw KL Rahul, Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill returning to the pavilion.

The departure of Pant was followed by Shreyas Iyer as he paired alongside Cheteshwar Pujara to stitch another important partnership that helped India stay afloat in the midst of a tempestuous ocean on day one. Shreyas Iyer has had a fine year so far with the bat in his hands, especially in the shorter formats of the game and now has showcased his true class in the whites too. Iyer stitched a fine knock of 86 before Ebadot Hossain got the better of him on day 2.

Iyer’s gritty display drew him a few words of praise from former Indian opener, Aakash Chopra. He didn’t leave any stone unturned to describe the brilliance of Shreyas Iyer, stating, “Many have criticized Shreyas Iyer, pointing out his playing style and short-ball woes. But the bottom line is that he scores runs. His luck prevailed on multiple occasions, with the dropped catch and the bail not falling. He played aggressively today and is a player who knows how to control the game."

As India continues to rumble with their neighbours, Shreyas Iyer had an early fall on the second day. Only time shall reveal how the Men in Blue shuffle the tide in their favour against the persistent hosts.