IND vs NZ 2026: T20 World Cup winner urges Shreyas Iyer to bat at No. 3 in T20Is

Former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan has pushed the team management to play Shreyas Iyer at the No. 3 spot for the upcoming T20Is against New Zealand. Iyer has been added to the squad for the first three T20Is of the five-match series.

Irfan highlighted the manner in which Iyer possesses the calibre to play spin and pace bowling with equal potency. He also urged the BCCI to consider not excluding Iyer after the injured Tilak Varma returns to the T20I squad.

“Shreyas at number three, no doubt. He has the ability to play spin really well. He can play big shots and he can also maneuver the ball really well. Whoever saw him in the last IPL, he was playing the fast bowlers exceptionally well. If you give him a place and look at his form, he will come in and perform. It would be very rare for him to fail because his ability is outstanding. If he comes in, he will perform. Somewhere, even after Tilak's inclusion, you should make space for him in the squad because he is the kind of player you will need," shared Irfan in a video on Robin Uthappa's YouTube channel.

In the same video, Uthappa commented on Suryakumar Yadav's dip in T20I form. The erstwhile wicketkeeper opined that the Indian skipper should stick to his strengths of dominating the game after the powerplay and felt the No. 4 spot to be the best for him.

“I think the fact that he is short of runs has impacted his confidence, which is normal. But I think the reason he is short of runs is because he has played in many positions. I feel Surya should bat at number four. I think outside the powerplay is where he is the most effective. He has the ability to manipulate spinners and score runs at a quick pace, and by doing that, he also puts pressure on fast bowlers. In my opinion, number four is his most solid position,” noted Uthappa.

Iyer and Ravi Bishnoi were recently included in India's T20I squad for the series against the Kiwis. Bishnoi, unlike Iyer, was named for the entirety of the series. Both of them were not named in the squad for the T20 World Cup, which will take place across February and March this year. The T20I series against New Zealand is scheduled to commence on January 21 in Nagpur.