Shreyas Iyer persisted in his engrossment in the centre wicket nets at the BKC Stadium in Mumbai, where he engaged in a batting session with local bowlers, long after the conclusion of Mumbai’s match against Andhra. Pravin Amre, a renowned batting instructor hailing from Mumbai and a former batsman for India, attentively monitored his performance, and national selector Subrata Banerjee was not far behind.
In anticipation of the forthcoming Test series against England, Iyer was advised to participate in this match by the national selectors and the Indian team administration. He believed that his encounter with the opposition was fruitful.
He demonstrated perseverance and forbearance during the initial innings. On the fourth morning of the match on Monday, Mumbai secured an uncontested victory by 10 wickets, depriving him of an opportunity to bat in the second innings.
Regular member of the Indian team Iyer (29), who was notorious for his belligerent batting approach, was put to the test by the Andhra bowlers, who utilized negative tactics. It is worth mentioning that he exercised greater patience before ultimately obtaining one over Nitish Reddy.
“I am going to play attacking irrespective of the situation,” Iyer said. “When you bowl negative, when you (they) bowl safe and defensive at the start (what can you do). You want to score runs and you need to take your team through up to a certain point. That was my mindset and that’s what I stuck with. I was happy (with the performance) irrespective of the score.” He made a solid 48.
The fact that the surfaces prepared for the Test series will favor spinners is now widely known. As a result, Iyer’s preparations at BKC Stadium were less than optimal, as the pitch did not exhibit a particularly vicious turn. “To be candid, it wasn’t exactly a turning track,” Iyer stated with a grin. “Other than that, my sole objective was to remain on the field for as long as possible for match fitness purposes.” That is primarily what I was concentrating on, as it has been difficult for me to remain on the wicket and in the outfield for extended periods of time, particularly since my injury. Thus, this served as an excellent opportunity for me to hone my skills five years later, when he was engaged in a Ranji match.
When asked whether he would have chosen to play the T20 series against Afghanistan or this Ranji match preceding the Test series, he responded that he is unable to comment on circumstances beyond his control. “Well, see, right now I’m in the present,” he commented. “My work concluded with a match in which I received an invitation to participate. I arrived and carried out my strategy. Therefore, I am content with the progress I am making. “As for what I cannot say, it is beyond my control.”
Iyer is consistently confronted with the challenge of being susceptible to short-pitched transmissions, which is a subject of frequent inquiry. Brendon McCullum, the present England team coach and former Kolkata Knight Riders head coach under whom Iyer competed, is intimately familiar with his batting technique. McCullum was overheard providing instructions to England bowlers regarding the intended objective of short deliveries to Iyer during the fifth Test that was rescheduled to Edgbaston in 2022. However, Iyer has conveyed contentment regarding his readiness to manage short projectiles. “It is critical not to dwell on a five-match Test series, but rather to approach each match individually.” Therefore, striving for success in the initial two games would serve as a foundation for anticipation of the subsequent contests.
