The Telegraph

Shreyas Iyer wants to emulate India captain Virat Kohli especially when it comes to chasing down a total.

Doing justice to the No. 4 slot, Iyer churned out back-to-back crucial knocks in India’s consecutive successful chases so far in the T20I series versus New Zealand.

He attributes the runs to the learning he has had from Kohli.

“I personally feel that you have a fair idea of the runs you are going to chase and at what run-rate you have to get them. Virat Kohli is the perfect example when he goes out to bat and the way he plans his innings.

“I pick up a lot from him personally — the way he grinds out and tries to finish the game. That’s the best part about him,” Iyer told reporters in Auckland after India took a 2-0 lead in the five-match series.

His senior Mumbai team-mate Rohit Sharma is another batsman from whom Iyer learns a fair bit. “I also learn from Rohit Sharma. Whenever he is given an opportunity, he makes the best use of it.

“All these amazing characters in the team set a really good example for us youngsters. There’s a lot to learn from them and that’s what I try to apply whenever I go out there.

“I think that I have to stay not out and it really helps me grind throughout that middle period and when the time comes, I take on the bowlers. That’s how you plan your innings when you are chasing,” Iyer added.

The 25-year-old is known for his penchant for hitting big sixes, but he also understands the value of rotating the strike, being a middle-order batsman.

“You have to play all sorts of shots and take singles. Besides, when you want to hit sixes, you have to be aware of the fact that you have to create that moment for yourself. You have to give yourself that time to get set. That’s what I usually do.”