Shreyas Iyer has garnered accolades from former India cricketer Gautam Gambhir, who stated that he will be the biggest game changer in the upcoming final of the ODI World Cup 2023. Speaking at Star Sports, Gambhir claimed that Iyer had to battle for his spot after bouncing back from an injury before smashing a century in 70 balls during the tournament's elimination phase. When Glenn Maxwell and Adam Zampa of Australia bowl in the final, the Indian middle-order hitter will be crucial for the team believes Gambhir.
"Shreyas Iyer is the biggest game changer for me in this World Cup. He was injured and had to fight for his place, and to score a century in 70 balls in the knockout is simply outstanding. He'll be the key for India in the final when Maxwell and Zampa bowl," Gambhir said.
Shreyas Iyer on Wednesday made history, becoming the first middle-order batter to smash 500 runs or more in a single edition of the ICC Cricket World Cup. (Indian Fans React As Umpire Richard Kettleborough Set To Officiate In India Vs Australia Final Of Cricket World Cup 2023, Here's Why They Are Unhappy)
In this tournament so far, Iyer has smashed 526 runs at an average of 75.14 and a strike rate of over 113. He has scored two centuries and three fifties, with the best score of 128*.
The batter is the fifth-highest run-getter in the tournament so far. With his second successive century in the tournament during the semifinals against New Zealand, Shreyas broke plenty of records and continued his purple patch in ODI cricket. (Cricket World Cup 2023: Team India's Road To Final Vs Australia - In Pics)
In the match against New Zealand, Iyer was at his fiercest. He smashed 105 in just 70 balls. His knock consisted of four boundaries and eight sixes. He struck his runs at a strike rate of 150. In the final match of the ODI World Cup 2023, India will take on Australia at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday.
