India vs New Zealand: ‘He is a match-winner and he is here to stay’: Team India’s batting coach on young star

Team India batting coach Vikram Rathour was all praise for Shreyas Iyer for his consistent run of scores in the middle order. He believes that the Mumbai batsman is aware of his game and hence, knows how to respond to pressure scenarios.Rathour went on to add that the Indian team was planning to give the younger players a longer rope so that they can improve further.

“The more opportunities that these guys get, they are showing that they are capable. They are showing that they are match-winners on their day. That will help the team, of course, but it will also help their confidence,” Rathour said speaking to reporters on the eve of the third T20I.

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“Having seen KL (Rahul) and Shreyas as young cricketers coming through, in my mind, I have absolutely no doubt that they are match-winners. They are getting their opportunities now and they are showing the world what they are capable of, that is great to see,” he further added.

As per Rathour, Iyer’s biggest strength is his positive frame of mind which helps to play in tense situations. “Apart from having those (batting) skills, I think the mind set is amazing. He (Iyer) believes he is a big player, and he is, without any doubt. He genuinely believes that he is a match-winner and he is here to stay. And that mindset I think helps him, that is the biggest advantage he has,” he said.

India’s bench-strength in the recent years has been quite strong and this has impressed the batting coach.

“A-tour helps a lot. In case of any injuries, if you are looking for any replacements, we know players are here, just a city away. They can immediately come in and they are already acclimatised to the conditions. I think that’s a great idea and that’s working really well for our team,” said Rathour.