Shreyas Iyer’s Pragmatic Approach: Navigating Abrar, a Sluggish Pitch, and a Modest Chase
“Can you just tell me how many overs were left?” Shreyas Iyer asked the journalists as he settled into his press conference. “Forty-five balls? Okay.”
“I think we could have won a bit earlier. It would have been a convincing win,” he added.
Wait, what? A six-wicket victory with more than seven overs to spare isn’t convincing enough?
Truth be told, at no point in India’s chase of 242 did they look troubled. And at no stage in Pakistan’s innings did they seem capable of setting a truly challenging total. Yet, Iyer—who played a composed knock of 56 off 67 balls—felt they could have wrapped things up sooner, perhaps with a bit more intent.
The Abrar Ahmed Challenge
A key factor in India’s measured approach was Pakistan’s most economical bowler, Abrar Ahmed. The leg-spinner returned impressive figures of 1 for 28 in 10 overs, with his solitary wicket being a beauty that dismissed Shubman Gill.
“I think Abrar bowled brilliantly,” Iyer acknowledged. “It was important and crucial for me to play out that spell and rotate the strike at the same time. Once my eyes were set, I thought the sweep and reverse sweep would be great options to put them on the back foot. And I think that worked pretty well for me.”
Iyer didn’t dominate Abrar, but he absorbed the pressure. And that was perhaps what India needed in that phase of the game.
Tackling the Short Ball—A New, Improved Iyer
One noticeable aspect of Iyer’s innings was how comfortable he looked against short-pitched bowling—a challenge that has historically troubled him.
Sanjay Manjrekar, speaking on ESPNcricinfo, pointed out the transformation. “When he came back from domestic cricket against England, the first innings he played was flawless. It was a huge difference between the Shreyas Iyer of before and now, especially against the short ball. He’s playing that shot carefully and with confidence, rather than out of desperation.”
Anil Kumble echoed this view, crediting Iyer’s domestic cricket stint for his improved composure. “Earlier, he would move around the crease early in his innings, irrespective of the situation. But we didn’t see that today.”
Assessing the Pitch—Why India Didn’t Go Harder
This wasn’t the first time India had played on this slow, spinner-friendly surface in Dubai during the Champions Trophy. But this time, it was a different strip from the one they faced Bangladesh on.
“As we know, even in the previous game we played over here, the wicket is a bit slow,” Iyer explained. “It’s spinner-friendly, of course. The combination of their bowlers and the experience they possess brings a lot of clarity to their bowling.”
Given the sluggish pitch and a modest target, Iyer took his time to settle in. His first 28 balls yielded only 12 runs—a start that might have appeared sluggish. But there was a method to it.
“It’s important to attack, but it’s not easy to go in and straightaway start smashing the ball,” Iyer said. “You need to see the pace of the wicket and how it’s coming onto the bat. If you show that intent every ball, it’s difficult for a batsman, to be honest.”
And that’s the key takeaway. Intent isn’t just about aggression; it’s about smartly adapting to the conditions.
Iyer took his time, absorbed pressure, and ensured that India got home comfortably. It may not have been the explosive finish he envisioned, but in a high-pressure Indo-Pak clash, any win is convincing enough.
