Shreyas Iyer should focus on off-side batting: Kevin Pietersen

Mumbai, Dec 10: Former England skipper Kevin Pietersen feels Shreyas Iyer, who has been considered as an option for the No. 4 slot in India's ODI team, should concentrate on improving his off-side batting and should spend extra time on the nets.

Speaking about Shreyas on Star Sports Select Dugout, Pietersen said: "Shreyas Iyer needs to focus more on his off-side batting and he needs to spend more time on the nets, get more practice to hit at extra cover, take his left pad off and focus on hitting through the line on the off-side.

"There are drills which you need to practise as a youngster and this will help him as the bowler will then eventually not bowl to him outside the off stump. He will then be able to play a lot straighter which will be a lot more comfortable for him," he added.

Recently, Shreyas had scored a quick-fire 33-ball 62 in the third and final T20I against Bangladesh to help India seal the 3-match series 2-1. Iyer was brilliant with the bat and forged an important 59-run partnership with K.L. Rahul to stabilise the Indian innings that was struggling after the early departures of Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan.

Former India cricketer VVS Laxman had also said he is also very impressed with the way Shreyas grabbed his opportunity in the series against Bangladesh. He felt that the way Shreyas held fort in the final game of the series was impressive to say the least.