Mohammad Kaif Names Best Player Of Spin In Indian Team, It's Not Virat Or Rohit
Shreyas Iyer has come into his own in the last two World Cup 2023 games
Former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif has recently extolled Shreyas Iyer, highlighting his exceptional skills against spin bowling.
Mohammad Kaif crowns Shreyas Iyer as India's best player of spin
In a stunning performance, Iyer contributed significantly to India's commanding victory over South Africa at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, scoring an impressive 77 off 87 balls.
Speaking to Star Sports, Kaif lauded Iyer's unique approach to spin bowling, particularly highlighting his expertise during the middle overs. Kaif, who has closely observed Iyer's growth, especially during their time together in the Indian Premier League (IPL), pointed out Iyer's ability to combine aggressive hitting with smart running between the wickets. This combination, Kaif noted, sets Iyer apart in the current Indian squad.
“He plays spin exceptionally well. I have worked with him in the IPL. In my opinion, no one plays spin better than him in this team because he takes single and doubles as well, and hits sixes straight down the ground. We saw him hitting a 106-meter six in the last match at the Wankhede. In the middle overs, when spin creates pressure with dot balls, he finds boundaries there. That is his strength,” said Kaif.
Recounting Iyer's recent performance, Kaif highlighted his capability to counter the spin challenge posed by bowlers like Tabraiz Shamsi and Keshav Maharaj. According to the Uttar Pradesh-based cricketer, Iyer's aggressive yet calculated batting consistently put pressure back on the opposition, disrupting their bowling strategies.
“No matter how good the bowlers are in the middle, the runs don't stop from his willow. Tabraiz Shamsi and Keshav Maharaj were there but he kept on dancing down the track and hitting boundaries and kept putting pressure on the bowlers,” added the erstwhile cricketer.
The 42-year-old further pointed out Iyer's positive impact on the batting of Virat Kohli. He observed that Iyer's boundary-scoring ability during the middle overs provided much-needed relief to Kohli, helping to ease the pressure on his batting.
“He made batting slightly easier for Virat because when he wasn't getting boundaries in the middle, Shreyas Iyer was hitting boundaries there. So he relieved the pressure slightly on Virat's batting,” concluded Kaif.
Meanwhile, India, riding high on their triumph over South Africa, is now gearing up for their upcoming match against the Netherlands, scheduled to be held in Bengaluru on November 12. With Iyer's current form, the team looks poised to continue their winning streak in the series.
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