Indian batter Shreyas Iyer ended a 7-year long wait to score a double-ton in first-class cricket with a stunning knock of 200 from just 201 deliveries against Odisha in the Ranji Trophy on Thursday. Iyer’s last first-class hundred came in 2017 for India A, where he scored an unbeaten 202 against Australia.
Iyer came in to bat after veteran batter Ajinkya Rahane got dismissed for a duck. Iyer then formed a brilliant partnership with Siddhesh Lad and propelled Mumbai to a dominant position by stumps on Day 1. With Iyer batting on 152 and Lad anchoring with a controlled knock, Mumbai stood at a formidable total of 385/3 at the close of play.
The big moment for Iyer arrived on the second day when he completed a monumental double-ton, scoring 22 boundaries and 8 sixes. The innings marked a fantastic comeback for Iyer, who has been going through a rough patch for the past few months especially in red-ball cricket.
After scoring a century against Maharashtra in his last outing, Iyer skipped the Tripura game to recover, and his refreshed approach showed in his innings against Odisha.
Iyer brought up his century in just 101 balls and punished the bowlers the first chance that he got while Lad held steady on the other end. Lad’s knock was no less crucial; his 116 off 234 deliveries was a masterclass in patience and technique and gave Mumbai a solid foundation.
