1st T20I: Iyer fireworks give India six-wicket win over New Zealand

Rohit Sharma departed early and Virat Kohli was back in the hut with close to 90 runs needed at 10 runs per over. It is a situation Team India dreads to find itself in, in a chase. After all, haven’t we seen the team capitulate while chasing in big ICC tournaments. But it is also a situation that Kohli and the team management would want to see itself in as the team prepares for the ICC T20 World Cup later this year.

Shreyas Iyer has solved India’s number 4 problem and is expected to get a long rope in that position. But long ropes are often cut in the middle if performances don’t match expectations. On Thursday, Iyer knew what his job was. The highlight of his still nascent international career has been his ability to keep a cool head in pressure situations and yet again he did just that.

He played second fiddle as Shivam Dube showcased his power hitting abilities for an over. But once Dube holed out in his attempt to push the issue, Iyer knew he had to play the senior partner’s role along with the seasoned Manish Pandey.