Former India batting coach Sanjay Bangar reckons that the Indian team management is presently grooming Shreyas Iyer as a No.3 batter where former Indian skipper, Virat Kohli bats at. Bangar identifies Iyer as a good option as a replacement for Kohli if he gets injured in any game. Kohli has been rested by the selectors for the Sri Lanka series and was in fact released from the T20I team ahead of the third game against West Indies earlier this month. 

Iyer replaced him in both matches and played brilliant knocks of 25 off 16 in Kolkata and 28-ball 57 against Sri Lanka in the T20I series opener in Lucknow on Thursday. When asked about India’s middle-order positions for the T20I side, on Star Sports, Sanjay Bangar refrained from indulging in the subject but picked Iyer as Kohli’s back-up at No.3 in the batting line-up.

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Sanjay Bangar explained, “The bench is getting strong. The position at which Shreyas is being sent to bat, he is being continuously sent at No. 3. So God forbid if Virat Kohli gets injured in some match, I feel he can become a very good option at No. 3 and that is probably where the team management’s sights are set on Shreyas Iyer.”

Besides Shreyas Iyer, India has Suryakumar Yadav, KL Rahul as well for the middle-order position along with Sanju Samson, who has been recalled to the squad, although he did not get his opportunity to bat in the series opener.

Iyer’s knock on Thursday helped India reach a huge score of 199 for 2 in 20 overs, after opener Ishan Kishan’s stunning knock of 89.

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In reply, Sri Lanka only managed to register the score of 137 for six in 20 overs after Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Venkatesh Iyer picked two wickets each. India will now head into the second T20I, on Saturday, with the aim of wrapping up the series after winning the first game by 62 runs.