At the end of the second Test match against New Zealand, the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee is expected to announce the Test squad for the five-match series in Australia for the Border Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. Shreyas Iyer, who was one of the vital members of the side in the middle order, will be itching to make a return in the red-ball side for the Blue Brigade.
The Ranji Trophy 2024-25 is undergoing, and it has offered most of the Indian players an opportunity to keep their cards ahead with some breathtaking performances. Turning up for the Mumbai side, Shreyas Iyer has already notched up 172 runs in three innings at an average of 57.33 and a strike rate of nearly 75, shouldering on his best score of 142.
The 29-year-old had an exceptional start in the red-ball career in Kanpur against New Zealand when he thumped his maiden Test century but the issue against the short balls, which later progressed into the balls on the fourth stump line saw him getting dropped from the national side.
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In 14 Tests, Shreyas Iyer has smashed 811 runs at an average of below 37 and a strike rate of 63, with the help of five half-centuries and one century at a best score of 105, as the last of these came against England in Vizag toward the start of the year.
Shreyas Iyer makes fine-tuning to improve his game
The batter had an excellent time in Bangladesh, where he smacked 202 runs in just three innings at an average of 101 and a strike rate of around 60, with the help of two half-centuries. However, his average of 17 in England and under 14 in those bouncy conditions of South Africa displayed how he could be vulnerable down under.
Since getting dropped from the five-day format of the game, the right-handed batter went on to lead the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to their third title in the Indian Premier League (IPL) before returning to the Sri Lanka ODIs and featured in the Duleep Trophy.
“As a young boy from Worli to now as a national player, I am living the dream of representing India in every single format that I had as a child. Playing in Australia, especially in a Border-Gavaskar series, is one of the biggest challenges in cricket.” Shreya Iyer heightened his desire to feature in the BGT 2024-25, during an interaction with the Hindustan Times.
“The conditions, the rivalry, and the intensity demand everything from you, and these are the moments you want to be part of as a cricketer. I’m preparing myself to grab that opportunity and leave a mark.” He added.
However, he understands the cut-throat competition that he would be facing with some of the young batters who have grabbed the chance at the right time with massive scores.
“I love being in those situations where the pressure is high. These are the challenges that push you to grow across formats, and I’ve been working on fine-tuning my game to be ready for any format. The competition for places in Indian cricket at the moment is greater than ever before because of the sheer amount of talent that exists in India.” Shreyas Iyer expressed as he looked to catch the eyes of the selectors.
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He had an excellent time during the 2023 ODI World Cup at home, where he drilled 530 runs in 11 innings at an average of 66.25, at a strike rate of 113.24.
“You have to make an impact every single time you’re on the pitch – that is what I aspire to do. When I get the chance, I will be ready to make an impact because performing at the highest level for India is what it’s all about.” The veteran concluded.
