ICC Cricket World Cup: Shreyas Iyer's return to form completes the missing piece in Team India's batting

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Team India posted another emphatic win over Sri Lanka in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 on Thursday (November 2) and became the first team to book the semi-final berth.

The Rohit Sharma-led side defeated Sri Lanka by a big margin of 302 runs after bundling them out for 55 as Indian pacers put on an exhibition of sensational bowling effort to wrap up the opposition's innings inside 19.4 overs.

Cricket World Cup 2023: Bowlers Hand India A Massive Win

Mohammed Shami - who returned with 5/18 from five overs - was awarded the player of the match as he wreaked havoc upon opposition batters in his spell of five overs. Before Shami, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj opened the floodgates for India with the ball.

Shreyas Iyer Rising To The Occasion

The foundation for a big total was laid by Indian batters as the trio of Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, and Virat Kohli slammed half-centuries. Iyer's explosive innings of 82 off 56 balls, along with standout performances from Gill (92) and Kohli (88), propelled India to a formidable total of 357 for 8 after being put in to bat first.

Iyer - whose form was under scrutiny due to his failure to convert the starts into big knocks - showcased his big-hitting ability in front of a packed home support in Wankhede. The middle-order batter had scores of 0, 25, 53, 19, 33, and 4 before coming to Mumbai for this game.

Former India cricketer and batting great Sunil Gavaskar also slammed the 29-year-old for throwing his wicket away and letting the opportunities slip through his hands in the World Cup.

Iyer Silences Criticis in Style

With Suryakumar Yadav doing well after coming in as Hardik Pandya's replacement, Iyer was falling in the pecking order. But with his aggressive knock against Sri Lanka, vindicated the team management's decision to keep their faith in him. Iyer has had his fair share of struggles this year as the right-handed batter was out of action for nearly four to five months.

Discussing his journey back to the national team after recovering from injury, the Mumbaikar acknowledged the challenges and the importance of recovery and preparation.

"Yes, it was a difficult ride to come out of an injury, especially in terms of fielding. I wasn't able to move as I used to before. But the trainers and the physios, they worked pretty hard on me, especially in terms of recovering after the games, because in 50 overs, it takes a lot of toll on your body. And once you get used to it as an athlete and as a player, you focus more on the recovery aspect," Iyer said at the press conference.

The right-handed batter emphasized the significance of recovery, especially in a demanding format like ODIs, where players have to withstand the rigors of 50-over matches.

"And it is crucial for me, especially at this point of time when I'm playing consecutive matches, how I go back to the dressing room after the matches, how I train, all these aspects are critical. And yeah, I just keep ticking the boxes in terms of preparation and see to it that when I come to the game, I'm 100%," he added further.

Facing the Short Ball Criticism

Iyer was also questioned about his perceived struggle against short-pitched deliveries and he firmly defended his capabilities and expressed his frustration with external critiques. He highlighted that as players, they are bound to get out occasionally, but it doesn't mean they have a fundamental problem with specific types of deliveries.

"If you're trying to hit a ball, you're bound to get out anyway. Irrespective it's a short ball, it's an over pitch. If I get bowled two or three times, you all would say that, OK, he can't play an in-swinging ball. He can't play a cut if a ball is seeming.

"So, see, we, as players are bound to get out on any sort of deliveries. You guys have created that environment outside that he can't play a short ball. And I feel that people are picking that up every now and then and it plays on your mind regularly and you keep working on that," he added further.

He even cited his experience and familiarity with the bounce at Wankhede Stadium, where he has played numerous games, as the key to his confidence in handling short-pitched deliveries.

Iyer's confidence in his abilities and his focus on playing to his strengths were evident in his response and reflected the positive mood in the dressing room. His crucial innings and strong mindset are sure to be assets as India progresses further in the showpiece event. His return to form could be the missing puzzle in Indian batting's jigsaw puzzle as the team awaits confirmation over all-rounder Hardik Pandya's fitness.