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Shreyas Iyer is busy thriving in the Ranji competition following his quiet exit from India’s white-ball squad ahead of the high-profile Test series against England. Gearing up for the red-ball series between India and England, Iyer powered Mumbai to a flawless 10-wicket win over Andhra Pradesh in their Elite Group B Ranji Trophy on Monday. The premier batter is seeking a comeback into India’s squad after a forgetful tour to South Africa.
Speaking at the press conference ahead of the Afghanistan series, head coach Rahul Dravid dismissed reports suggesting Iyer was not named in the squad due to disciplinary reasons. Dravid further confirmed that since Iyer did not play in the South Africa T20Is, the star batter missed a place, also because several batters are already in the fray for the T20Is. However, Iyer was picked in India’s squad for the Test series against England.
Iyer’s sizzling take on Bazball
Gearing up for the five-Test series against England, Iyer shared his honest views about the Bazball style of playing the longest format. Earlier, former England skipper Nasser Hussain opined that the Bazball approach of the visitors would need to find a balance on Indian pitches. “To be honest, I don’t really think about what the opposition is going to do and what kind of mindset they are going to come with. It’s important we stick to our own plans and focus on our own abilities rather than concentrate much on our opponents. So, these are the small qualities we have to keep in mind and look forward to put our best foot forward and see to it that we seize the moment,” Iyer told JioCinema.
Iyer smashes Andhra bowlers
When Andhra bowlers tried to cash in on his weakness against short ball, Iyer responded with a run-a-ball 48 for Mumbai. “It was a nice experience. I wasn’t expecting much from myself to be honest, but I wanted to create a rhythm going forward into the five-Test matches. The intensity will be high. Also, to stand on the field for 90 overs takes a lot of effort, so it all started from here (match against Andhra Pradesh),” Iyer said.
Can Iyer bounce back?
Iyer registered scores of 0, 4*, 31 and 6 in the two Test matches against South Africa. The 29-year-old has played 12 Test matches for India. Averaging 39.28, Iyer has amassed 707 runs for Rohit Sharma’s men. The premier batter has one century and five half-centuries to his name. India will meet England in the first Test of the five-game series at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad on January 25.
‘Take one match at a time’
“You have to take one match at a time and not think much ahead. You have to take all the factors into consideration. In terms of your mental ability, the stress is going to be a lot but at the same time, you have to handle the pressure situations well. So, these are the pros and cons of playing Test matches. You have to be mentally inclined towards adapting across 90 overs and as I mentioned, this was the right practice for me coming into the Ranji Trophy and getting used to the situation,” Iyer added.
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