Shreyas Iyer Needed This Century, Came At The Right Time, Says Pujara

Shreyas Iyer needed this century, came at the right time, says Pujara (Lucknow: India vs West Indies 1st T20I at Ekana Cricket Stadium)

BRSABV Ekana Cricket Stadium:  Former India batter Cheteshwar Pujara praised captain Shreyas Iyer for hitting a magnificent maiden T20I century in the eight-wicket win over the West Indies in Lucknow, adding that it was the knock which came at the right time for him.

At the BRSABV Ekana Cricket Stadium, India were in trouble at 35/2 when Iyer came out to bat and smashed an unbeaten 102 from 43 balls. That knock helped India, the reigning T20 World Cup champions, to reach home with eight wickets and 32 balls to spare and take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.

“It came at the right time because he was looking for that form. There were not any questions regarding his batting because, when it comes to the T20 format, I think Shreyas is an exceptional cricketer, so there is no doubt about his quality.

"But the kind of flow he was in during the innings at Lucknow, the moment he walked in, he was timing the ball and was clearing the infield during the powerplay well. Once he got set, he started playing big shots and hitting big sixes. So, he was in complete control.

“He knew which bowler he had to target. So yes, this innings came at the right time because he needed this knock. When you are leading the team, you lead by example, and this is the example you want to set in front of the young players,” Pujara said on JioHotstar.

The former right-handed batter was equally impressed by batting all-rounder Naman Dhir’s good show on T20I debut, as he employed smart bowling variations to pick 3-31 and be the most economical bowler for India in the game.

“It was good to see that he was using his cricketing intelligence. He picked up three wickets, but before that he got hit for a six, so he was trying to change his line, he was trying to change his length and was varying his pace really well.

“So, yes, you're a part-timer, but you can't bowl just the usual stuff; you have to be a little bit more than that, and Naman Dhir showed that he's a quality bowler," added Pujara.

He also felt Dhir will become better with experience in coming matches, especially where the pitches may be absolutely flat. "You can't expect him to bowl four overs in each and every game, but he's definitely improving and is showing that he can be a decent bowler in a T20 format.

“So, yes, you're a part-timer, but you can't bowl just the usual stuff; you have to be a little bit more than that, and Naman Dhir showed that he's a quality bowler," added Pujara.

Article Source: IANS