Sanjay Manjrekar has applauded Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul for pacing their innings as per the situation of the game in India’s 2023 World Cup clash against the Netherlands on Sunday. Shreyas and Rahul added 208 runs for the fourth wicket in just 21.1 overs as Team India set a massive 411-run target. The hosts then bundled the Netherlands out for 250 to register a comfortable 160-run win.

During a discussion on Star Sports, Manjrekar said: “The ideal man for India to have at that position and KL Rahul as well because these are guys who are not going to get under pressure because there have been four or five dot balls, and then you play a high-risk big shot to release the pressure. These are guys who will tick off the singles despite five fielders being inside the circle. These are guys who have different gears. The batting pedigree is showing – KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma, everyone who plays Test cricket as well for India.”

Shreyas Iyer scored an unbeaten 128 off 94 deliveries, with 10 fours and five sixes. On the other hand, KL Rahul hit a 64-ball 102 with 11 fours and four sixes as well. Sanjay Manjrekar also opined on Virat Kohli’s knock.

“There is so much to admire and marvel at with this batting lineup. Finally what comes to my mind is just the batting pedigree. These guys have batted a lot in different formats,” he further added. “All of them, I am not just talking about Virat Kohli, look like finished articles, unlike say a Pakistan where you see talent but they haven’t quite reached the stage where they have mastered most aspects of batting.”

“With this batting lineup, it seems like that, and it’s all got to do with the kind of confident mood we have in the dressing room, led by somebody like a Virat Kohli,” Sanjay Manjrekar concluded.