Shreyas Iyer sizzled with the bat against Pakistan, scoring a well-timed half-century as India cantered to a six-wicket win in Dubai on Sunday.
Iyer struck a crucial 56 to help anchor the Indian innings in the company of Virat Kohli, who took India over the line with over 7 overs to spare.
And there were words of praise for the Mumbai batter.
"He (Iyer) is somebody who is very hardworking in the sense that he has gone through a lot of challenges. He has missed out playing Test cricket because of some injury concerns and knows the value of playing for the nation.
"And that's when, once he got that big performance in the World Cup, there was never a question that who is going to be India's No 4. He is a player who is always trying to get better and better," Bangar told JioHotstar
The former India all-rounder has also noticed a marked improvement in his approach against the short ball.
"As for his approach against the short ball, I am very happy that earlier he used to back off to the left side and hit towards the offside. But now he is happy to develop a method wherein if he feels that he has to be defensive, he is defensive.
"When he wants to attempt the shots, there is a high percentage of shots which he has control over," Bangar said.
Sidhu was impressed by Iyer's ability to keep the momentum going while scoring his runs.
"There is one thing that separates him from the rest. In skating over thin ice, your safety is speed. This man gives you that speed. See, you look at the pace at which the scoreboard is moving -- Pakistan, after the first 34 or 35 overs were 134 or 140-odd.
"(After the) first 10 overs, India was 60-70. And when this man comes, he puts on his skating shoes and is invariably changing gear from the first gear to the fourth gear or the fifth gear and then he comes back. So, he paces his innings... 67 balls, 56. It's not 95 balls, scoring a 50. So, there are qualities that Shreyas Iyer has," Sidhu said.
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