Former Indian opener Wasim Jaffer has showered praise on Shreyas Iyer, stating the batter has taken the team out of trouble on quite a few times. Iyer scored 82 runs on the opening day of the first Test match against Bangladesh at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chhatogram on Wednesday.
The Mumbai batter added 149 runs for the fifth wicket alliance with Cheteshwar Pujara to get India out of the trouble. The visitors were struggling at 112-4 after Rishabh Pant had dragged the ball back onto the stumps but Iyer and Pujara were able to get going.
After settling at the crease, Iyer batted with more freedom as he took the attack against the Bangladesh spinners.
Speaking on ESPNCricinfo, Jaffer said about Iyer: “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.”
The 28-year-old also had the rub of the green as he was dropped by Nurul Hasan and Ebadot Hossain. In fact, the zing bails also refused to come off when Hossain had hit the stumps.
However, the right-hander could only add four runs on the second day and was dismissed by Ebadot Hossain on 86 runs.
“He was, obviously, lucky that bails didn’t come off, and Ebadot literally dropped a sitter.”
The former domestic giant added he is impressed with Iyer’s tactics against the spinners. Iyer had stepped down the track on a few occasions against the home side’s spinners to get to the pitch of the ball.
“I am really impressed with Shreyas Iyer’s tactics against spin. He has got that technique against spinners to come good.”
Iyer has had a tough time while facing short-pitched deliveries but Jaffer was surprised by the fact that Bangladesh bowlers didn’t pepper the right-hander with bumpers.
“I am really surprised Bangladesh were not using short-ball tactics against him,” said Jaffer. “They could have gone for 5-10 overs of a short burst.”
India is 361-7 in their first innings with Kuldeep Yadav and Ravichandran Ashwin at the crease.
