After a string of unsatisfactory performances, which saw him scoring only 134 runs in the first six matches of the 2023 ICC World Cup, Indian batter Shreyas Iyer rediscovered his rhythm in style, scoring 82 runs in 53 against Sri Lanka on Thursday (2 November).
Coming to bat following a 189-run second-wicket stand between Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli, Iyer had the task of rebuilding the Indian innings, with both of those batters losing their wickets in a span of ten deliveries.
The Mumbaikar did not have much support on his home ground, as KL Rahul and Suryakumar Yadav had short stays in the middle, but he managed to take India’s total of 357 runs. Iyer’s 82-run knock included three fours, and twice as many maximums.
After the match, Iyer addressed the criticism about his batting against short deliveries, which has been surfacing since the start of the competition. On being asked about short balls troubling him, Iyer countered “Troubled me? Have you seen how many pull shots I've scored? Especially which has gone for four.”
You guys have created that environment outside that he can't play a short ball. And I feel that people are picking that up every now and then and it plays on your mind regularly and you keep working on that.Shreyas Iyer (in post-match press conference).
“Coming from Mumbai, especially from Wankhede, where the bounce is pretty much even and it bounces way more than any other pitches. So, I've played the majority of my games here, so I know how to tackle it. It's just that when I go to hit some shots, you are bound to get out and sometimes it may work, sometimes it may not. And the majority of the times, it hasn't worked for me. Maybe that's the reason you think it's a problem for me. But in my mind, I know there's no problem,” he further elaborated.
Grind Has Been Intense: Shreyas Iyer
Iyer has had an injury-ravaged year, where he missed the Indian Premier League season, much of the Asia Cup and the international fixtures with his back troubles. After the comprehensive 302-run victory against Sri Lanka, he opened up on his recovery journey.
“I was longing to come back to the team. I am thankful for where I am and I also want to thank myself for working hard to be here with the team. I know the grind and the preparation I went through before coming here. It was intense. And also, the people who supported me through this journey, I would just like to thank them for being there for me and supporting me through thick and thin,” the batter said.
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