IND vs SA: 3 reasons why Shreyas Iyer should bat at No. 3 against South Africa
Shreyas Iyer earned his Test cap against New Zealand last year and became the 16th Indian to score a century on his debut. Earlier this year, he was roped in by the Kolkata Knight Riders for a whopping ₹ 12.25 crores and had a decent IPL season with the bat.
Given his inclusion in Team India's squad for the T20Is against South Africa, Iyer will look to improve his chances of making the trip to Australia later this year for the T20 World Cup.
With the likes of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Suryakumar Yadav missing from the squad, Iyer has the opportunity to bat in his favoured position at No. 3.
On that note, here are three reasons why the KKR skipper should bat at No. 3 against South Africa.
#3. He is one of the most experienced batters in the squad
Shreyas Iyer has usually played in the middle order for India but one could say that he is better suited to bat at No. 3. This is primarily because of his ability to anchor the innings for his team. While Iyer isn't known so much for his explosiveness, the 27-year-old is adept at stitching together partnerships and stabilising the innings for his team.
For a team filled with many inexperienced batters, it would help to have the KKR captain at the top of the order. With skipper KL Rahul likely to open the innings, the No. 3 position seems like the ideal position for Shreyas Iyer against South Africa.
The team management could also promote either Rishav Pant or Hardik Pandya up the order and have the other play the role of a finisher. Both Pant and Pandya have proved their worth at the top of the order in the IPL.
However, having the duo play higher up the order would leave the lower order vulnerable to South Africa's pace attack led by Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje.
Playing Iyer at No. 3 does seem like the safest bet for the team. Not only does he have a decent average of 36.77 in T20Is but he can also swing the bat if needed.
#2. It's his preferred position
Is Shreyas Iyer India's best No.3 for the upcoming T20 World Cup? 🤔
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Shreyas Iyer loves the No. 3 position and has never shied away from admitting this. Speaking during the press conference ahead of KKR's first game in the IPL, the 27-year-old was asked about his preferred position. He responded:
"Personally, I love to bat at No. 3 and feel it's the place for me since I've been batting at that position for a very long time. Otherwise, I'm flexible and happy to bat wherever my team needs me. I'm comfortable with that and come what may I'm ready."
Watch Shreyas Iyer's interview below:
Batting at No. 3 gives Shreyas Iyer time to plan the innings and pace it according to the situation. As the squad already has able finishers in Hardik Pandya and Dinesh Karthik, Iyer could stabilise the innings and set the tempo for the finishers in the death overs.
#1. Shreyas Iyer has a good record batting at No. 3
During the series against Sri Lanka earlier this year, Shreyas Iyer was given a chance to bat at his favoured position and he grabbed the opportunity with both hands. He smashed three consecutive half-centuries and finished the series with 204 runs at a strike rate of 174. Iyer's exploits at the top of the order also earned him the Player of the Series award.
The 27-year-old had a decent season with the bat in this year's IPL. According to official stats, he scored 401 runs in 14 games at a strike rate of 134.56. Although KKR failed to qualify for the play-offs, Shreyas Iyer finished the season as the top scorer for his team, with three fifties to his name.
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Given the form he is in at the moment, Iyer should definitely bat at No. 3 in the upcoming home series against South Africa.