Star India National Cricket Team middle-order batsman Shreyas Iyer tackled the short-ball tactics of the England National Cricket Team very well in the first ODI of the three-match series.
Shreyas Iyer played an incredible innings at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium, Jamtha, Nagpur on Thursday, February 6, and took the England bowlers to the cleaners.
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Shreyas Iyer plays attacking cricket
Iyer, playing his first international game in six months, came to bat at No.4 after India lost both openers – Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rohit Sharma – inside six overs.
He steadied the Indian innings by playing an attacking brand of cricket. Iyer looked to launch an attack on the English bowlers and played a counterattack innings. He was involved in a brilliant 94-run partnership in 64 balls with Shubman Gill that put England under pressure.
Notably, as Iyer arrived on the crease England decided to use short-ball tactics to pick his wicket. A short leg was in place along with a strong leg-side field and a couple of slips stationed in the cordon.
On the 5th ball of the 7th over, Archer bowled a 144.8 kmph short-length delivery to Iyer just outside off-stump. The Indian batter waited on the back foot and played a brilliant pull shot to send the ball over deep mid-wicket for a maximum.
On the next ball, Archer bowled yet another short-pitched delivery outside off-stump, and Iyer played a brilliant shot to send the ball flying away into the stands beyond the third man.
Watch: Iyer destroys Jofra Archer
Picked 🆙
..and DISPATCHED Twice 💥💥
Shreyas Iyer gets going in the chase in some style 👌👌
Follow The Match ▶️ https://t.co/lWBc7oPRcd#TeamIndia | #INDvENG | @IDFCFIRSTBank | @ShreyasIyer15 pic.twitter.com/eGsvGSZVSN
— BCCI (@BCCI) February 6, 2025
Notably, Iyer completed his fifty off 30 balls in the match, which was his second fastest behind his 28-ball fifty against West Indies, which came in Vizag in 2019. Overall, he finished with 59 runs off 36 balls, with 9 fours and 2 sixes.
Fastest Fifty for India in IND-ENG ODIs:
26 – MS Dhoni, Cardiff, 2011
26 – Krunal Pandya, Pune, 2021
28 – Rishabh Pant, Pune, 2021
29 – Yousuf Pathan, Indore, 2008
29 – Kedhar Jadhav, Pune, 2017
30 – Shreyas Iyer, Nagpur, 2025
But that has to be Shreyas Iyer’s best innings – Sanjay Manjrekar
Former India National Cricket Team batter Sanjay Manjrekar was mighty impressed with the batting performance of Iyer.
He took to his official X handle to label Iyer’s innings in Nagpur as the best innings of his ODI career. Manjrekar opined that Iyer displayed flawless batting and rated him 10/10.
“I know it’s just 58 for now. But that has to be Shreyas Iyer’s best innings! Because of the sheer flawless nature of stroke play, the range of shots played & the relative orthodoxy of all his shots. On quality it was 10/10,” Sanjay Manjrekar wrote on X.
I know it’s just 58 for now. But that has to be Shreyas Iyer’s best innings! Because of the sheer flawless nature of stroke play, the range of shots played & the relative orthodoxy of all his shots. On quality it was 10/10. 👏👏👏
— Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar) February 6, 2025
