While Virat Kohli stole the spotlight with a majestic century against Pakistan, it was Shreyas Iyer who provided the perfect supporting act, continuing his fine form with a composed 56 off 67 deliveries. On a sluggish pitch, Iyer ensured India never lost control during the middle-overs.
Kohli, as always, anchored the chase with precision, maintaining a steady tempo through strike rotation and well-timed boundaries. But the real surprise was Iyer’s approach. Walking in at 100/2, he partnered with Kohli to stitch together a crucial century stand, their seventh in just 29 innings. While Kohli kept the scoreboard moving, Iyer started unusually slow, crawling to 17 off 34 balls. It was an uncharacteristic start for a batter known for his aggressive stroke play and strike rate of at least 100 in ODIs. However, as the innings progressed, Iyer found his rhythm, proving once again why he has been a key pillar in India’s middle order.
Yesterday, the pitch in Dubai offered some assistance to the bowlers, making stroke play tricky. Abrar Ahmed was in full rhythm, extracting grip and turn, while the trend from the last two games suggested that new batters, particularly in the middle overs, found it difficult to settle in. Iyer, a proficient player of spin, had never faced Abrar before and, given the testing conditions, chose a cautious approach early on.
“I think Abrar bowled brilliantly,” said Iyer in the post-match press conference. “It was important and crucial for me to play out that spell and rotate the strike at the same time. I took some time, and then once my eyes were set, I thought that sweep and reverse sweep would have been a great option to put them on the back foot.”
While Abrar kept the pressure on, Pakistan introduced Haris Rauf from the other end with a clear intent—target Iyer with short-pitched deliveries. But ever since his return to the team, the 30-year-old batter has visibly refined his technique against the short ball. He left a few, pulled a few in front of the square, and never looked rattled by Rauf’s pace.
At the rate Iyer was scoring, a wicket seemed inevitable. Dot balls were stacking up. Sensing an opportunity, he looked to capitalize on the part-time spin of Khushdil Shah in the 30th over. Two crisp boundaries injected momentum into his innings, and in an attempt to maximize that over, he mistimed a shot, offering a chance to Pakistan—one they failed to grasp.
Fortune on his side, Iyer saw the perfect matchup in the next over, off-spinner Salman Ali Agha. He wasted no time, launching him for a six. Another seven runs came off Khushdil in the following over, and within three overs, Iyer had flipped the script, making up for his slow start and reaching a well-crafted half-century. The way he shifted gears was impressive, showing maturity to curb his natural aggression before pouncing on Pakistan’s weak link in the bowling attack.
Adaptability is the essence of the game, and Iyer’s last innings was a testament to it. Even he acknowledged this in the post-match press conference: “I mentioned it is important to adapt. It’s not easy to go in and straightaway start smashing the ball because you need to gauge the pace of the wicket, how it is coming on to the bat. I took a few balls at the start to see how it’s coming, and if you show that intent on every ball, it is difficult for a batsman to be honest. But if you take some time, see how the ball is coming to you, and let the ball do the talking rather than you dictate out there in the middle.”
On flat tracks, he can effortlessly score at a strike rate well over 100, but when conditions turn challenging, he has proven he can adjust his approach. His ability to shift gears highlights just how much he has evolved as a cricketer over the past year.
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