It has been a rollercoaster year for Shreyas Iyer. He was dropped from the Indian Test squad during the England home series early in the year, and after missing the Ranji Trophy due to a reported back injury, he lost his BCCI central contract. However, Iyer rebounded by playing the most crucial role for Mumbai in clinching the Ranji Trophy and also guiding the Kolkata Knight Riders to their IPL title after 2014. While he managed a place in India’s ODI tour of Sri Lanka during the summer, his influence was marginal.
142 off 190 balls , what a knock from Shreyas Iyer!
Came to bat when mumbai was 123/3 and scored brilliantly for his daddy century!
This ton was needed for him especially after 38 innings🥵
SHREYAS IYER IS BACK!! pic.twitter.com/iN35AUuqiW---Advertisement---— Harshaaaa (@Harshrey_) October 19, 2024
Also Read: IND Vs NZ, 1st Test Weather Report: Will Play Resume Or Will It End In A Draw?
Iyer Overcame A Road Full Of Obstacles
The challenge before him was Test cricket still knocking at his door. He had to withstand the long and arduous process of recovery from the back issues. Hence, he featured in the home series against Bangladesh and New Zealand and on the pre-season Buchi Babu tournament before he was roped into the Duleep Trophy. Though he managed a couple of half-centuries and ran some scores in the Irani Cup, it hadn’t been good enough.
The Moment Shreyas iyer completed his Century 👏❤️#ShreyasIyer pic.twitter.com/18IerYc7cf
— OG DHRUV ™ #ComebackLoading (@G4YforShrey) October 19, 2024
Shreyas Iyer Ready For Test Comeback
However, on Saturday, Iyer proved his detractors wrong with an astonishing innings of 142 runs off 190 balls for Mumbai against Maharashtra in the current season of Ranji Trophy. This was his first three-year first-class century, his last having come on his Test debut against New Zealand in Kanpur. He referred to the century as “special” after the match. Speaking of his plight, he communicated to BCCI selectors that he is “absolutely keen for a comeback,” assuring all that his back is now “100 percent fine.”.
“Coming back after a very long time, obviously I was feeling a bit down with my injuries, but now getting a century after a very long time, it’s a great feeling,” ESPNCricinfo quoted Iyer. “I am absolutely keen for a [Test] comeback but yeah, as we say, control the controllables and my job is to keep performing and keep participating as much as possible and also see with that my body is in best shape. So I’ll take the best decision possible according to that.”
Shreyas Iyer On Regaining Back His Form
“Training. Yeah, obviously I improved my long-distance running and that’s what I wanted to. You know, increase my patience as well in terms of the longer format and according to that I was training. [I did] intensive training like I was stressing up my body, like pushing my body 400-800 meters of running and I was trying to push my limits and seeing to it that I was at the best fitness possible“, as mentioned by ESPNCricinfo
“See, I had addressed my feeling during the longer format and things didn’t go my way,” he said, this meant that Iyer is keen to put behind and work on a fresh start. “But I’ve also addressed it in the previous interviews I’ve given and I’m in a good space right now. I’m doing what I’m meant to do, that is training and playing matches consistently and I feel that all the matches I’ve played right now in the past have helped me gain that fitness level as well, along with my training.”
Focusing On Body- Top Priority For Iyer
“The body has taken a lot of load at the same time. So we have to manage here and there and see to it that I strategise in terms of how I play. Now I have to be smart in terms of what decisions I take, I need to see to it that my body is in the best shape possible. As I mentioned previously as well, I have to decide according to that, no matter whatever people think outside. I have to listen to my body because I know the amount of threshold carried over the last few years and based on that, I’ll be taking the right decision, and I hope that my team will also back [that].” said Iyer, as quoted by ESPNCricinfo
