'He cannot set the momentum' – Shardul Thakur on Shreyas Iyer's T20I form in New Zealand

October 31, 2026

Shardul Thakur has evaluated Shreyas Iyer's recent displays during the T20 international series in New Zealand, pointing out the inherent difficulties of operating in the middle order. Iyer captained the side through a five-match contest beginning on October 22 at Hagley Oval in Christchurch, compiling 76 runs across four appearances at a strike rate of 126.67.

During the fourth encounter in Auckland on October 30, which ended in an 87-run defeat for India, Iyer contributed 22 runs from 11 balls prior to his dismissal. Thakur noted that middle-order batters must continuously adapt to shifting match situations and scoreboard pressure rather than establishing the initial tempo, a task complicated further by the dual demands of leadership.

While discussing these challenges on SonyLIV, the former pacer highlighted Iyer's extensive domestic and franchise captaincy background, noting his experiences reaching the Indian Premier League final with Kolkata Knight Riders and Punjab Kings.