Shreyas Iyer's struggles against short balls were once again on display during India's first ODI against Australia on Sunday at Perth.
During his stay at the crease, all the Aussie pacers tested him with deliveries on his ribs before he eventually nicked Josh Hazlewood straight to the wicketkeeper, Josh Philippe.
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After being dismissed at 11(24) in the rain-affected innings, coach Gautam Gambhir was spotted animatedly reacting to Iyer's dismissal with batting coach Sitanshu Kotak.
Gambhir imitates Iyer's short ball dismissal vs Australia
During the final rain break in India's first innings after Iyer's dismissal, the broadcasters panned the camera towards India's dressing room.
The Indian coach was seen sitting with batting coach Sitanshu Kotak, imitating how Iyer batted against Hazlewood during his dismissal against the short ball.
Watch Gambhir's reaction below:
— Nihari Korma (@NihariVsKorma) October 19, 2025
India went on to return to the field, and KL Rahul, alongside Nitish Kumar Reddy, added some crucial runs to take India to 136 runs in 26 overs.
Is Iyer's batting against short-pitched bowling a worry for India?
The right-handed batter has a history of struggling against short deliveries directed towards his body. He tends to lose his shape and play uncomfortably.
While he has shown improvements since the England series early in 2025, when he batted extremely well against the likes of Jofra Archer, he has not played against express pace outside the Asian conditions.
He scored a fifty at Johannesburg in December 2023 on a pace-friendly wicket. Still, the outing against Australia was his first appearance outside the sub-continent since he gained his newfound consistency.
During the Champions Trophy and the Indian Premier League, Iyer looked in imperious touch. However, the Dubai pitch is very different from the pitchest at perth or even those that will be on offer in South Africa.
The ongoing Australia series will be a good opportunity for the Indian vice-captain to test his new technique against the bouncers. The World Cup 2027 will be played on similar tracks in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia, with pace and bounce on offer.