Former Indian cricketer Wasim Jaffer heaped praise on Shreyas Iyer after the right-hander took Team India out of trouble on the opening day of the ongoing first Test against Bangladesh on Wednesday (December 14) at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram.
When the Indian cricket team was reeling at 48/3, Iyer took the charge of the side and played a brilliant knock of unbeaten 82, as well as shared a crucial 149-run stand for the fifth wicket with Cheteshwar Pujara (90) on a tricky batting surface to help the side end the day one at 278/6 at stumps.
Iyer has scored more than 500 runs in Tests till now counting his latest knock and Jaffer said that the batter has done well in the longest format of the game in a very short space to make a big name for himself.
Wasim Jaffer was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo: “In his short space of international career, especially in Tests, he’s played some really wonderful knocks. He has taken India out of trouble quite a few times. So, it has been an impressive knock, without a doubt.”
Hailing Iyer’s batting technique against the spinners, the former opener said: “I am really impressed with Shreyas Iyer’s tactics against spin. He has got that technique against spinners to come good. I am really surprised Bangladesh were not using short-ball tactics against him. They could have gone for 5-10 overs of a short burst.”
Iyer was dropped twice on Day 1 and then got another lifeline after Ebadton Hossain’s delivery hit the stumps, but the bails didn’t fall off, which helped both India and the batter.
Jaffer signed off by saying, “He was, obviously, lucky that bails didn’t come off, and Ebadot literally dropped a sitter.”
