Harbhajan Singh lauds Shreyas Iyer for his attacking knock in 1st ODI against England, says he changed the complexion of the game.

Former Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh hailed Shreyas Iyer for his aggressive knock in the opening ODI against England. While chasing 249 runs, India registered a four-wicket win at Nagpur to take a 1-0 lead in the series.

Iyer was able to hit the ground running and scored a fine knock of 59 runs off just 36 balls with the help of nine fours and two sixes. The right-hander completed his fifty off just 30 balls as he batted at the top of his game.

Harbhajan said it was surprising to note that Iyer was on the verge of getting dropped despite scoring consistent runs in ODIs. 

“Shreyas is a proven performer. He scored a lot of runs in the World Cup. When a player scores so many runs, he thinks he would get opportunities. He is the best in his eye and hence, even God felt the same. He got what no one else thought and what someone else thought for Shreyas, that didn’t happen. The player whom you were thinking about dropping, he played such an innings, he made it an one-sided game. The 50 runs he scored, changed the complexion of the game,” Harbhajan Singh said on the sidelines of ILT20.

Iyer was able to retain his place in the team in the second ODI but Virat Kohli replaced Yashasvi Jaiswal in the final XI.

Meanwhile, as expected India backed KL Rahul ahead of Rishabh Pant in the series opener. The Turbanator noted that the left-hander will have to wait for his chances in ODIs.

He said, “Rishabh Pant is a very good player but the way the management is thinking right now, it seems like KL Rahul is being preferred as a wicketkeeper-batter option. So now Rishabh Pant will have to wait for his opportunity to come.”

“Dhruv Jurel, Sanju Samson are also in the line. I just hope that the team which is selected right now, performs well. I hope KL Rahul performs well. As far as Rishabh Pant, he will eventually be there in the lineup, be it today or tomorrow.”

In the second ODI, England are 116-2 after 19 overs.