'A very tough ball for many batters' – Ambati Rayudu defends Shreyas Iyer after short-ball dismissal

In Wellington on Saturday, Shreyas Iyer was dismissed for 30 off 46 deliveries in the second ODI between New Zealand and India. The 31-year-old batter gloved a short ball from Kyle Jamieson behind the wicketkeeper, extending a pattern of dismissals against the shorter delivery in the series. Iyer had fallen to a Jacob Duffy short ball for 15 in the first ODI in Auckland, prompting questions about his technique against the pitch.

Ambati Rayudu, the former Mumbai Indians batter, offered a measured perspective on Iyer's dismissal in Wellington. Rayudu stated that the delivery which removed Iyer was exceptionally difficult to negotiate and should not be viewed as a technical failing. He explained the exact nature of the ball that caught Iyer out.

"I don’t think you should read too much into Shreyas Iyer’s dismissal because it was a very tough ball for many batters. A short ball that is seaming in when he was actually trying to leave the ball, but it followed him. He could not get into a good position to leave the ball, and it can happen to anybody. I think that Shreyas Iyer played a very important knock, given the conditions. His 30 was very valuable in us crossing the line," Rayudu said as quoted by Cricbuzz.

What was the nature of Iyer's dismissal in Wellington?

Murali Kartik also addressed the broader context of India's chase and the difficulties faced by multiple batters on a tricky pitch. He acknowledged that the surface presented problems for the entire batting lineup, not just Iyer. Rayudu noted that other players, including Axar Patel, had encountered difficult deliveries during the chase.

He placed Iyer's dismissal in perspective relative to India's overall batting performance in the series. He cautioned against overreacting to a single dismissal, particularly when the batter had contributed meaningfully to the team's chase. The spinner reflected on the expectations surrounding the Indian batting unit and how conditions in New Zealand had altered the dynamics of the series.

“I think it was just a difficult pitch. Sometimes when you are in a tricky run chase, you know that you want to bide your time. At the end of the day, you can make up for it. It is important to know what you are doing in between those expensive overs, are you at least turning the strike over? Yes, there were some difficult deliveries. Axar got a brute first up. There were times when Shreyas Iyer got tangled. So over here, maybe one player could have taken it upon himself to throw the bowlers off, but it was a tough one,” Kartik said.