Photo via Hindustan Times

Iyer vs Iyer: Why India’s T20I captain is struggling to match the Punjab Kings maverick who dominated middle overs

India’s T20I captain Shreyas Iyer has faced a stark drop in form since his strong start under his leadership, with his batting struggling to replicate the impact he showed during his IPL tenure with Punjab Kings. After a promising beginning—including scores of 68 and an unbeaten 80 in his first six T20I innings as captain—Iyer’s recent performances have been far less impressive.

In his last 10 matches, he has scored just 206 runs at an average of 25.75 and a strike rate of 126.38, with no score above 30. His struggles have been particularly evident in middle-over situations, where his ability to accelerate innings has diminished, with scores like 8*, 11, and 13 in recent games raising concerns about his intent and consistency.

Even in the high-pressure Asian Games final against Pakistan, where India secured gold, Iyer managed only 21 runs off 24 balls, failing to provide the momentum his team needed in the middle overs. Despite leading India to victory in the tournament, his batting has become a liability rather than an asset, contrasting sharply with his earlier form as both an IPL leader and a high-impact T20I player.

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