India‘s batting unit failed to live up to expectations as England produced a spirited comeback to win the second ODI and level the three-match series. After suffering defeat in the series opener, the hosts responded strongly to square the contest and force a winner-takes-all decider. While India’s top order struggled to convert starts and the team fell short in a challenging chase, a handful of individual performances stood out. One of those came from a star batter, whose composed innings under pressure earned praise from former India wicketkeeper-batter Parthiv Patel.

Parthiv Patel reveals which batter is always ‘under the radar’ in Indian team

Speaking after the match, Patel described Shreyas Iyer as one of the most underrated names in the Indian setup, saying his contributions are often overshadowed by the attention given to senior stars Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Analysing India’s batting display on JioStar, Parthiv highlighted Iyer’s value in the ODI setup and felt the middle-order batter rarely receives the appreciation he deserves despite consistently delivering in important situations.

“If we talk about ODI cricket, his performance generally goes under the radar. There are a lot of discussions about Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, but Shreyas Iyer has performed equally well since the 2023 World Cup,” Parthiv said on JioStar.

The former India cricketer pointed out that Iyer has repeatedly rescued India from difficult situations, proving his worth in the middle order. He also credited the batter for carrying his impressive form from the T20Is into the ODI series against England.

“He has played crucial knocks whenever India have been in trouble, and on this tour, he played incredible knocks in the T20s as well. In the ODIs, he got a start in the previous match as well, and here, under pressure, wickets were falling from the other end, but he retained his composure and played a knock like this,” Parthiv added.

Patel further praised Iyer’s cricketing awareness and tactical approach, especially in the No. 4 role where balancing aggression and stability is often critical.

“He is a responsible batter for India at No. 4. He understands the game’s tempo. He knows with what run rate he needs to bat. The best thing is that he knows against which bowlers he can score his runs. He has an excellent idea about his game,” he observed.

Also READ: Rohit Sharma set to play his farewell ODI match at Lords – Reports

Expectations rise from the star batter ahead of series-deciding third ODI

Despite India’s defeat in the second ODI, Iyer’s calm and calculated innings emerged as one of the biggest positives for the visitors. At a time when wickets were falling regularly and the pressure continued to mount, the right-hander displayed maturity by rotating the strike, finding boundaries at crucial moments, and preventing the innings from collapsing completely.

His performance has further strengthened his reputation as India’s dependable No. 4 batter in the 50-over format. Having already impressed during the T20I leg of the England tour, Iyer has carried that confidence into the ODI series, making him one of India’s key players heading into the deciding encounter.

With the series now locked at 1-1, India will hope their batting unit produces a much-improved display in the final ODI. Much of that responsibility could once again rest on Iyer’s shoulders, especially if the top order fails to provide a solid platform. Another composed innings from the middle-order batter could prove decisive as India look to clinch the series and silence England’s resurgence.

Also READ: Fans erupt as Joe Root’s unbeaten masterclass helps England defeat India in 2nd ODI