No talk of India batting collapse as Shreyas Iyer reflects on Auckland defeat

India captain Shreyas Iyer had a lot to say after their 87-run defeat by New Zealand in the fourth T20I in Auckland on Friday. However, he did not touch on one topic. Batting collapse in India.

Chasing 260, India never came close. Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan fell in the opening over as the visitors slipped to 61 for four in the powerplay before ending up at 172 for nine. It was a rare day off for the Indian batting unit, but it barely featured in Iyer’s post-match assessment.

Instead, the skipper focused on the bowling performance, particularly the damage New Zealand did in the overs. He also had plenty of praise for Glenn Phillips, whose 107 off 49 balls powered the hosts to 259 for seven. Michael Bracewell provided the perfect support as he smashed 65 off just 25 deliveries.

NZ vs IND, 4th T20I: Scorecard | Highlighting

Phillips was particularly destructive against Nitish Kumar Reddy. He scored 32 runs from the over and hit four consecutive sixes to keep New Zealand firmly in control. Phillips and Bracewell combined for 16 sixes, the majority of New Zealand’s 20 maximums.

“We were behind in bowling. The power play, especially in the third over, got them going. Exceptional shots from Glenn, some phenomenal shots, pure bliss,” Iyer said at the post-match presentation ceremony.

The Indian skipper acknowledged that the bowling unit failed to contain New Zealand’s aggressive approach. He also termed Phillips’ innings as exceptional and admitted that India have a lot to learn from the New Zealand batsman who has been consistent throughout the series.

But what about India’s own batting? There was no assessment of the collapse, despite the early dismissal of Samson and Kishan, who left the chase in disarray. Abhishek Sharma managed just 27 while Iyer himself made 22 before being bowled by Adam Milne.

FOCUS SHIFT TO HAMILTON

With the series already secured, India will have one more chance to make up for their shortcomings when the teams meet in Hamilton for the fifth and final T20I. Iyer said the party needed to review its performance and find a way to respond.

“What’s important in retrospect is we have to see how we bounce back. I feel we can go back to the drawing board and execute,” he said.

Iyer also spoke about the challenge of adapting to the dimensions of Eden Park. The Auckland venue is among the smaller grounds in international cricket with unusual boundaries that can make shot selection and bowling plans difficult. He admitted that some of the Indian players were experiencing these conditions for the first time.

“We knew the dimensions were going to be like that. First time for some of them. It wasn’t easy to adjust. The way they played in the first three games was amazing. Great learning curve,” he said.

The Indian bowlers had a tough evening against Phillips and Bracewell, whose fifth wicket partnership of 115 came off just 41 balls. But the collapse of the bat was just as damaging. The chase for 260 was always going to be difficult and the loss of two wickets in the opening over left side left India with little room to recover.

This was perhaps the biggest fear of India’s defeat. However, Iyer did not address it.

– The end