‘If red-ball cricket is happening…’ - Former Pakistan player slams Shreyas Iyer for poor show in Ranji Trophy game

The Thursday happened to be the day of ‘flop shows’ for the star India players in the ongoing Ranji Trophy 2024-25, especially for those who featured for the multi-time champions, Mumbai. In the same line of events, star Mumbai batter Shreyas Iyer also endured a dismal run of form with the bat in the game against Jammu and Kashmir.

Iyer could score only 11 runs off 7 balls, with a six and a four before getting caught by Umar Nazir off Yudhvir Singh’s delivery. He came up with a bit of an aggressive approach after Mumbai were already struggling at the score of 42 runs for the loss of 6 wickets.

Meanwhile, the former Pakistan batter Basit Ali strongly criticized Shreyas Iyer for his aggressive approach in the red-ball game despite knowing the fact that the team was in trouble. 

Play white-ball cricket in that format itself – Basit Ali on Shreyas Iyer

Basit Ali slammed Iyer for showing a lack of responsibility to rescue the team from a miserable position in the game after the collapse of the top and middle order. 

“Iyer made 11 runs from 7 balls. It is a four-day game. Three batters were dismissed in front of you. Play white-ball cricket in that format itself. If red-ball cricket is happening play it like red-ball cricket. This is my simple advice. We will see what they do in the second innings,” said Basit Ali in a video on his YouTube channel.

“Rohit Sharma got out, Jaiswal got out, Gill got out, Iyer got out. It is a four-day cricket. When so many players are playing, Iyer has to score a hundred, Rohit has to score a hundred, Jaiswal, Gill, even Pujara is playing, will everyone score?” he added later.

Notably, Mumbai were bundled out at the score of just 120 runs in the first innings against J&K in the ongoing Ranji Trophy game. Star India players, including national skipper Rohit Sharma, and star young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal were dismissed at the individual scores of just 3 and 4 runs. Skipper Ajinkya Rahane also failed and could score only 12 runs off 17 balls, with two fours.

It was only the all-rounder Shardul Thakur who displayed a bit of resistance against the J&K bowling attack, scoring 51 runs off 57 balls, with five fours.