“After Suryakumar Yadav has come in, Shreyas Iyer’s batting in T20I has changed” - Deep Dasgupta

Former India wicketkeeper-batsman Deep Dasgupta has opined that healthy competition for places between Suryakumar Yadav and Shreyas Iyer will keep both players on their toes.

While Shreyas Iyer seems set to retain his no. 4 spot in ODIs, Suryakumar Yadav could challenge him for the position, given his recent exploits in the T20I series against England.

According to Deep Dasgupta, Shreyas Iyer should bat at no. 4 in the first ODI in Pune on Tuesday. Speaking to Sports Today, he said that Shreyas Iyer’s batting in T20Is has changed following the arrival of Yadav.

"Shreyas, for me, starts at No. 4. His ODI numbers at No. 4 are quite impressive. Yes, Surya is there. That’s a very healthy competition. And if you look at it, after Surya has come in, Shreyas’s batting in T20Is has changed. If you look at his strike rate and numbers, he is looking like a different batsman. I think that competition is going to push both the players to kind of start elevating their games and the bar they set for each other," Dasgupta asserted.

While Yadav was given a chance to bat at number three in the T20Is, Shreyas Iyer was moved lower down the order. Both batsmen excelled, coming up with impressive knocks.

Yadav scored 57 and 32 during his two visits to the crease, while Shreyas Iyer also did well with knocks of 67 and 37.

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VVS Laxman backs Shreyas Iyer over Suryakumar Yadav

Despite Yadav’s blazing entry in international cricket, former India batsman VVS Laxman opines it could be too early to blood him in the ODIs ahead of Shreyas Iyer. According to Laxman, the batting lineup should not change on the basis of a few innings.

Laxman said in this regard on Star Sports show Cricket Connected:

“I think it is very difficult to just choose one among both, Suryakumar Yadav and Shreyas Iyer, because what really interests me was the way Shreyas Iyer batted at no. 6. He batted with authority, conviction and just understood the situation and played his shots right from the word go. Because we know that he is ideally suited for no. 4. He has done so well in both one-dayers and T20Is in that position; but for the first time I have seen him bat at no. 6, and he didn’t disappoint anyone.”

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— BCCI (@BCCI) March 22, 2021

India are set to face England in the first ODI of a three-match series on Tuesday in Pune.