Shreyas Iyer has finally managed to retain his place in the Indian national cricket team thanks to his good performances in domestic cricket. Iyer was dropped from the Indian team and even removed from BCCI’s central contract after initially barring him from domestic matches.
However, after warnings from the BCCI and the Indian selectors, the middle-order player turned up for Mumbai in the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy, followed by the 2024-25 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and the recent 2024-25 Vijay Hazare Trophy, and regained his place in to the Indian ODI team.
It’s irritating: Shreyas Iyer on short ball criticism after regaining place in India
Shreyas Iyer was recently named in India’s ODI squad for the upcoming three-match ODI series against England at home as well as the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Ahead of his much-awaited return to India, the Mumbai batsman reflected on several aspects of his game.
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Well, Shreyas Iyer dismissed the constant chatter about his weakness against short deliveries, saying he couldn’t take advice from someone who had never faced lightning at 150 kmph. He also labeled the chatter as merely irritating.
Indian Express quoted Shreyas Iyer as saying, “It’s irritating, especially when it comes from people who haven’t faced a 150 km per hour delivery, advising you to play a certain way. But I’d say that’s their opinion. They have every right to talk, but they can talk between themselves and not directly with the player.”
Shreyas Iyer reflects on his “game-changing” knock at the 2023 ODI World Cup.
Meanwhile, the 30-year-old also reflected on his outstanding campaign during the 2023 ODI World Cup, where he amassed 530 runs in 11 innings. His stellar performances included two centuries and three fifties, but his brilliant knock of 82 runs against Sri Lanka at the Wankhede Stadium was his favourite. Iyer said it was a “game-changing” shot for him.
Talking about his favorite innings in the 2023 ODI World Cup, the Indian batsman explained: “The 82 against Sri Lanka. Because there was a lot of talk about me being kicked out of the team and that I wasn’t doing much for the team. Even though I scored 50 against Pakistan, there were some stories that made me uneasy.”
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He continued, “Such a conversation stirred my instincts from within. I just wanted to give my 110 percent. And in that game, I decided I was just going to follow my instincts and go full throttle. There is no looking back. I’m impressed with the way I played that game. After that I became my own fan. It was a game-changing move, especially at the World Cup.”
Shreyas Iyer shares his approach to batting as he prepares to return to India
Meanwhile, Shreyas Iyer also shared his approach to dealing with various conditions. He emphasized the need to adapt to the situation and condition. The Mumbai batsman further explained how the variable bounce on some pitches requires adjustments in stance and trigger movements, rather than grip.
Furthermore, Iyer found that he practices these adjustments both on the field and during shadow training in his room. The Indian middle-order batsman also added that he always focuses on preparing specific plans for different types of wickets to ensure that he has a clear mindset before going out to bat.
However, Iyer said that every plan may not always work, but he always enters the field with a clear strategy in mind. We will see him in action for the men in blue in the upcoming ODI series against England next month.
