IND vs NZ: Fans fume as Shreyas Iyer’s reckless shot leads to soft dismissal in ODI series decider

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In a series-deciding clash at the Holkar Stadium, fans’ frustrations have reached a breaking point following Shreyas Iyer’s dismissal during a mammoth 338-run chase.

Iyer, who recently returned from a severe spleen injury, was expected to provide stability alongside Virat Kohli after the early losses of Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill. Instead, his brief stay ended in a moment of poor shot selection that left the Indore crowd in pin-drop silence and sparked a firestorm on social media. With India reeling at 71/4 in the 13th over, the middle-order collapse has placed an almost impossible burden on Kohli. Supporters have taken to platforms like X to slam the ‘irresponsible’ approach in a high-stakes finale, questioning Iyer’s match-readiness for such a high-pressure role.

The dismissal of Shreyas Iyer in the 12th over was a classic example of “throwing it away” when the situation demanded extreme caution. Facing the medium-pace of Kristian Clarke, Iyer looked restless after a string of dot balls and attempted an unnecessary, expansive pull shot against a back-of-a-length delivery outside off-stump. Lacking the required timing or placement, the ball skewed off the bat and traveled comfortably to Zakary Foulkes at mid-on, who didn’t have to move an inch to complete the catch.

This bad shot was particularly galling for fans because it came at a time when Kohli was finding his rhythm at the other end, and India desperately needed a long partnership to weather the New Zealand storm. For a player of Iyer’s experience, especially as the team’s vice-captain, the failure to adapt to the mounting required run rate resulted in a schoolboy error that has now left India’s home record in serious jeopardy. The sight of Iyer walking back for just 6 runs has led to widespread boos from the local crowd, as the responsibility of chasing 338 now rests solely on a lone Kohli and an inexperienced lower order.

A very poor shot from Shreyas Iyer as he is gone for 3 runs off 10 balls. I am very very dissapointed from him this series, specially the way he thrown his wicket💔💔

— Rajiv (@Rajiv1841) January 18, 2026

Shreyas Iyer is a fraud who folds under pressure. He only scores runs when everyone else is scoring, and he literally has no idea how to play the short ball.#INDvsNZ #INDvNZ #INDVSNZODI

— Neeraj (@NeerajY00859341) January 18, 2026

Very poor cricket from Shreyas Iyer. Mark my words he will not play a single game in the T20 series against New Zealand. The expression from Gambhir after that shot said it all.

— Armchair Expert (@cricnator) January 18, 2026

Shreyas Iyer is a shameless and impatient guy. He had the opportunity to cash in and go on with confidence in t20Is . Now watch out your dismissal highlights while sitting in dugout.

— Rajneesh Singh 🦇 (@CFC_Palmer2O) January 18, 2026

Shreyas Iyer to short ball once again. For all the PR, he has the same weakness and rarely performs when India loses early wickets. #INDvsNZ

— Wanderer (@DisDatNothin) January 18, 2026

I just feel that Shreyas Iyer isn't hated enough….

— Atharv Shukla (@Atharb_) January 18, 2026

A lot of batters have been over hyped by their IPL performances. Shreyas Iyer is one of them. When was the last time he held the innings and took it to the finish.

— Bundy (@_therealNobody) January 18, 2026

Last ODI, Iyer played the same shot straight to mid off, this ODI he played it straight to mid on.

— arfan (@Im__Arfan) January 18, 2026

Iyer needs to work on his strike rotation asap. He can’t depend too much on boundaries or release shots. In big tournaments, bowlers come prepared and won’t give you any freebies. Especially when you’re going to play in South Africa, you really need to be on top of your…

— 𝐊𝐨𝐡𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭!𝟎𝐧_👑🚩 (@bholination) January 18, 2026

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In the high-stakes series decider against New Zealand on January 18, 2026, Shreyas Iyer’s performance remained the subject of intense scrutiny as India’s middle order crumbled under a massive 338-run target. Returning to international cricket after a harrowing spleen injury suffered in late 2025, Iyer’s series has been a mix of promising starts and frustrating collapses.

After a confident 49 off 47 balls in the Vadodara opener that saw him anchor the chase alongside Virat Kohli, his form dipped sharply in the subsequent matches, managing just 8 in Rajkot and a disappointing 6 in Indore. Entering the final ODI, Iyer was on the verge of becoming the fastest Indian to reach 3,000 ODI runs, needing just 34 more to surpass Shikhar Dhawan and Kohli. However, his inability to convert his starts in the latter half of the series has not only delayed his personal milestone but has also left the Indian middle order looking vulnerable in the absence of a stable anchor to support Kohli’s lone-wolf efforts.

The series finale at the Holkar Stadium exposed the widening cracks in the Indian batting lineup, with Shreyas Iyer’s dismissal being the definitive turning point in the chase of 337/8. Despite his legendary average of 66 against the Black Caps, Iyer looked uncharacteristically tentative, falling for just 6 after a mistimed pull shot off Clarke was easily caught at long-on.

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