India vs New Zealand: Sanjay Bangar criticises Shreyas Iyer for throwing his wicket away

India batter Shreyas Iyer got to another confident start in the ongoing ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 but failed to capitalise upon it and threw his wicket away at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala.

Iyer succumbed to the strategy of bowling the short-pitched delivery from New Zealand pacer Trent Boult and went back to the pavilion for 33 off 29 balls. He had a golden opportunity to play a match-winning knock for the team in the ongoing 10-team showpiece.

Shreyas Iyer dismissal against New Zealand

Iyer tried to pull the short-pitched ball from the left-arm pacer and was caught in the deep by Devon Conway as India lost their third wicket in the run chase of 274 against the Blackcaps.

The mode of Iyer's dismissal left former India cricketer Sanjay Bangar, who was Team India's batting coach, saying the Mumbaikar fell prey to his ego as the bowler made him attempt to pull shots every time.

"You can't play pull shots on every ball. We know Shreyas Iyer has worked a lot on his pull shots lately but you cannot play it all the time. Shreyas should learn from a senior player at the other end, Virat Kohli. Kohli is not looking to overdo things and attempt one shot all the time. He shouldn't let his ego get the better of him as the way he was dismissed today reflected the same.

Sunil Gavaskar slammed Shreyas Iyer

Earlier, after his dismissal for 19 in the match against Bangladesh in Pune, Iyer came under the firing line for letting the opportunities slip away from his hands. The right-handed batter from Mumbai played a rash shot and failed to convert the start into a good knock.

Former India captain and legendary batter Sunil Gavaskar was visibly miffed with the intent of the Shreyas Iyer and Shubman Gill against Bangladesh and both the batters failed to leave a mark in Dharamsala as well.

"He (Shreyas Iyer) lost his patience. He was batting on 19 and threw his wicket away. Shubman Gill (was batting on) fifty (52), threw his wicket away," said Gavaskar on Star Sports after the India-Bangladesh match.

Citing the example of Kohli, Gavaskar said, "Kohli never does that. Kohli will seldom ever throw his wicket away. He makes you earn his wicket. And that is exactly what you need. When he got to 70-80, realising that he had an opportunity to get to a hundred, and why not? Hundreds don't come every day."

"You need to know how to get to a hundred and it's important for Shreyas Iyer and Shubman Gill. Shubman Gillis is at least getting hundreds, Shreyas Iyer is not getting hundreds. He is getting his opportunities to bat at number 4 on pitches as good as these and attacks as toothless as this and he is throwing away the opportunity," Gavaskar added further.