Former Indian batter Mohammad Kaif credited Shreyas Iyer for playing India A matches against Australia A before the away ODI series against Australia. Iyer scored 180 runs in three matches against Australia A at an impressive average of 60 and a blistering strike rate of 116.88 at Kanpur.

After Iyer was dismissed cheaply in the first ODI against Australia at the Optus Stadium, Perth, the right-hander scored a crucial knock of 61 runs off 77 balls in the second ODI at Adelaide on Thursday. Iyer added an imperative alliance of 118 runs off 136 balls for the third wicket with Rohit Sharma.

Kaif said Iyer is looking in good rhythm as he recently played the three-match ODI series against Australia A and urged the veteran duo of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to feature in these type of games

“I had met Iyer recently and had asked about his stance. I also asked him that, since he is only playing ODI now after his red-ball break and not being part of T20Is, how he is still able to play with the same rhythm? He is a mentally sorted person, he knows his game so well that he has fine-tuned his mind. He played in the India ‘A’ matches as well, and this is why I say that Virat and Rohit also have to play in such matches, because Iyer is an example,” Mohammad Kaif said on his YouTube channel.

Kaif highlighted that Virat Kohli is looking out of touch after bagging two successive ducks against Australia.

“Iyer played the India ‘A’ matches, and that is why you see the fluency in his batting. He never looks out of touch, like how Virat is looking right now. Virat, at the moment, looks unsettled, and that is not the case with Iyer, because he has been playing,” he added.

The third and final ODI between India and Australia will be played at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Saturday.