Watch: Shreyas Iyer mercilessly destroys England's short-ball plan, hits Jofra Archer for huge sixes

Star India National Cricket Team middle-order batsman Shreyas Iyer tackled the short-ball tactics of the England National Cricket Team very well in the first ODI of the three-match series.

Shreyas Iyer played an incredible innings at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium, Jamtha, Nagpur on Thursday, February 6, and took the England bowlers to the cleaners.

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Shreyas Iyer plays attacking cricket

Iyer, playing his first international game in six months, came to bat at No.4 after India lost both openers - Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rohit Sharma - inside six overs.

He steadied the Indian innings by playing an attacking brand of cricket. Iyer looked to launch an attack on the English bowlers and played a counterattack innings. He was involved in a brilliant 94-run partnership in 64 balls with Shubman Gill that put England under pressure.

Notably, as Iyer arrived on the crease England decided to use short-ball tactics to pick his wicket. A short leg was in place along with a strong leg-side field and a couple of slips stationed in the cordon.

On the 5th ball of the 7th over, Archer bowled a 144.8 kmph short-length delivery to Iyer just outside off-stump. The Indian batter waited on the back foot and played a brilliant pull shot to send the ball over deep mid-wicket for a maximum.

On the next ball, Archer bowled yet another short-pitched delivery outside off-stump, and Iyer played a brilliant shot to send the ball flying away into the stands beyond the third man.

Watch: Iyer destroys Jofra Archer

Picked 🆙

..and DISPATCHED Twice 💥💥

Shreyas Iyer gets going in the chase in some style 👌👌

Follow The Match ▶️ https://t.co/lWBc7oPRcd#TeamIndia | #INDvENG | @IDFCFIRSTBank | @ShreyasIyer15 pic.twitter.com/eGsvGSZVSN

— BCCI (@BCCI) February 6, 2025

Notably, Iyer completed his fifty off 30 balls in the match, which was his second fastest behind his 28-ball fifty against West Indies, which came in Vizag in 2019. Overall, he finished with 59 runs off 36 balls, with 9 fours and 2 sixes.

Fastest Fifty for India in IND-ENG ODIs:

26 - MS Dhoni, Cardiff, 2011

26 - Krunal Pandya, Pune, 2021

28 - Rishabh Pant, Pune, 2021

29 - Yousuf Pathan, Indore, 2008

29 - Kedhar Jadhav, Pune, 2017

30 - Shreyas Iyer, Nagpur, 2025

But that has to be Shreyas Iyer’s best innings - Sanjay Manjrekar

Former India National Cricket Team batter Sanjay Manjrekar was mighty impressed with the batting performance of Iyer.

He took to his official X handle to label Iyer's innings in Nagpur as the best innings of his ODI career. Manjrekar opined that Iyer displayed flawless batting and rated him 10/10.

"I know it’s just 58 for now. But that has to be Shreyas Iyer’s best innings! Because of the sheer flawless nature of stroke play, the range of shots played & the relative orthodoxy of all his shots. On quality it was 10/10," Sanjay Manjrekar wrote on X.

I know it’s just 58 for now. But that has to be Shreyas Iyer’s best innings! Because of the sheer flawless nature of stroke play, the range of shots played & the relative orthodoxy of all his shots. On quality it was 10/10. 👏👏👏

— Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar) February 6, 2025