"Are You Watching The Ball As A Football?" Shreyas Iyer Reveals What He Asked KL Rahul During The Partnership

Despite suffering a resounding defeat at the Seddon Park in Hamilton in the first ODI on Wednesday, India had a handful of positives to derive out of it. Shreyas Iyer’s breathtaking and maiden century took India even closer in solving the long-standing debate of who would capture the number four spot. But KL Rahul’s growth in his new role didn’t stay behind. And Shreyas Iyer revealed in the post-match press conference, the conversation he had with Rahul during their partnership of 136.

Also Read: Shreyas Iyer Confident Of India ‘Bouncing Back’ In Auckland

After bagging the award for the player of the series in the five-match T20I series, the Karnataka batsman powered his way to a well-compiled inning. At the stroke of Virat Kohli’s dismissal, the keeper-batsman entered the fray and went straight after the bowlers. He collected his first four boundaries by smashing four sixes off Ish Sodhi and Tim Southee.

The maximums that he hit off the two bowlers were clean strikes. The shots provoked Iyer at the other end to ask him “Are you seeing the ball as a football?” At being asked the same, KL Rahul was revealed to have nodded and laughed over it. The 25-year old further sang words of praises for him by conceding that one can learn a lot from how Rahul approaches his innings with the dream run he is enjoying currently. At the end of India’s innings at 347, the 27-year old remained unbeaten at 88 off 64 balls that included three fours and six sixes.

Below is the clip of the same:

The story of KL Rahul's last few months ⚽#NZvIND pic.twitter.com/FZ1JhKhHHh

— ESPN India (@ESPNIndia) February 5, 2020

Ross Taylor and Tom Latham help in taking down India:

Ross Taylor’s unbeaten knock of 109 off 84 deliveries was at the forefront of New Zealand’s clinical run-chase against the men in blue. The 35-year old shared a partnership of 136 along with stand-in captain Tom Latham, who scored a vital 69 to swing the game largely into the hosts’ favours. The victory served a massive boost to the Black Caps, who ended up on the losing side in all five T20Is earlier. The two teams will meet in Auckland for the second ODI that would be played on the 8th of February.

Also Read: New Zealand’s ODI Team Is More Experienced Than The T20 Side: Ross Taylor