Shreyas Iyer eyes Test return, working on long-format skills
What's the story
Mumbai-based cricketer Shreyas Iyer has revealed his desire to return to the Indian Test squad. He highlighted his commitment toward building patience and resilience for the longer format of the game. The announcement comes after his successful recovery from a back surgery last year. Iyer recently scored his first century in red-ball cricket since his Test debut nearly three years ago.
Comeback
Iyer's comeback journey marked by Ranji Trophy century
Iyer's comeback saga was marked by scoring a century in the second-round match of the Ranji Trophy against Maharashtra. It was his first ton in red-ball cricket since his Test debut almost three years ago. His previous First-Class century was against New Zealand in a Kanpur Test match way back in November 2021. Despite being dropped from BCCI's central contract list earlier this year, Iyer is determined to reclaim his place on the team.
Performance
Iyer's performance in recent 1st-class games
In his last five FC games (Duleep Trophy, Irani Trophy and Ranji Trophy), Iyer has scored three half-centuries and a 40 in 10 innings. He last played for India in the home Test series against England in February. Though he featured in the ODI series against Sri Lanka later that year, he stressed his strong desire to play red-ball cricket again.
Training
Iyer's training and strategy post-surgery
After his back surgery, Iyer made a successful return in last year's Asia Cup and played in the ODI World Cup. He was picked for the first two home Tests against England earlier this year but was dropped from the last three matches. After his surgery, he worked on his long-distance running and patience for the longer format of cricket through rigorous training sessions.
Partnership
Iyer's strategy and partnership in Mumbai's lead
Iyer, along with his young teammate Ayush Mhatre, added a 200-run stand which helped Mumbai take a mammoth lead against Maharashtra. He revealed that he played more balls than scoring shots as teams generally start with a defensive field. This is part of his overall plan to play session by session and see how much strain his body can take.