‘Shreyas Iyer is passing this test with flying colors’ – Aakash Chopra lauds India captain’s performance in 4th T20I despite series loss

Aakash Chopra heaped praise on Shreyas Iyer, saying that India’s T20I skipper batted according to the match situation on Thursday, July 9, in the fourth T20I against England. This game was played at the County Ground in Bristol.

India posted 158/7 after winning the toss and opting to bat first. Shreyas was the top-scorer, finishing unbeaten on 80 off 49 balls with the help of four fours and five sixes. Chopra was impressed by how Shreyas took his time to get settled at the crease and then took the English bowlers, especially Adil Rashid, to the cleaners.

“Shreyas Iyer needs to be praised because 30 or 35 runs had been scored when he came to bat after the fall of the second wicket. After that, 125 runs were scored in total, and he scored 80 out of that. He was going at a run-a-ball at the start for sure because the entire team’s batting approach has become like that. It’s okay if you play slow at the start as long as you can make up for it,” Chopra said on his YouTube channel.

“The way he took down Rashid, who was hit for 49 runs, and Shreyas scored 44 of those. He used the crease very well. Stepped out at times and used the depth of the crease on other occasions. He is actually passing this test with flying colors because he is batting well,” he added.

“That is a bit of a problem” – Aakash Chopra on Shreyas Iyer’s captaincy after ENG vs IND 2026 4th T20I

Aakash Chopra, however, expressed concerns about Shreyas’ captaincy credentials, mentioning how the Punjab Kings lost six of their last seven matches in IPL 2026 and that since taking charge of the Indian team, he has lost five of the six games the Men in Blue have played.

“If you see his last few games as a captain, that is a bit of a problem. The Punjab Kings had won six of their first seven games, and then they won only one of the next seven, and now it’s been six matches (for India), and you haven’t won even one,” he said.

While the 48-year-old hoped for better strategies from Shreyas, he urged the other batters to lift their performances.

“Shreyas Iyer, the captain, has been able to win just one of the last 13 games, and this is not a good thing that your lean patch as a captain that started in the IPL has continued for Team India as well. As a captain, he can be a little better in terms of strategy as well, but everyone will have to bat,” Chopra observed.

India lost the game by nine wickets as England chased down the 159-run target in just 13.5 overs on the back of half-centuries from Harry Brook and Phil Salt. The current T20 World Cup champions have lost the series after registering three defeats in four matches. They will look to finish with a consolation win in the fifth T20I on Saturday, July 11, in Southampton.

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