I was eagerly waiting to come back and perform for the team: Shreyas Iyer | Cricket News

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NEW DELHI: Dealing with frequent injuries can lead to doubts, but Shreyas Iyer attributes his successful comeback to his unwavering belief in his abilities. After a back surgery and a back spasm during the Asia Cup, Iyer only got to bat once in two weeks, but his 14 off nine balls against Pakistan boosted his confidence.
Iyer’s chance to shine came in Mohali, but he was run out.Facing tough competition for a spot in India’s middle-order for theWorld Cup, he finally delivered in the second ODI against Australia with a match-winning 105 off 90 balls. He expressed his gratitude, saying, “I was desperate to come back and come back strong. I was waiting to convert the starts which I got in the previous games. Today I got the opportunity, I am grateful.”

Despite the competition, Iyer never doubted his abilities. He stated, “To be honest, I was not doubting my abilities because I knew I was batting brilliantly in the nets, also the start I got against Pakistan. Just a matter of one innings, and I knew it was around the corner, thankfully I was able to execute.”

Reflecting on his journey, Iyer acknowledged the support he received: “It was definitely a roller coaster ride. I would like to thank myself to be honest. For believing in my abilities and mindset at that point in time. I was feeling a bit lonely but thanks to my physios, my trainers, my family—they backed me, and I’m grateful to have them around.”

He emphasized the importance of maintaining the right mindset: “I keep telling myself competition is against me. It is about the mindset that I maintain, especially when the chips are down. My mind was fluctuating at times, but I was trying to stay away from the outside noise. As they say, ignorance is bliss, so taking one step at a time and staying in the present and not thinking about what happened and what will happen in the future.”

Regarding his century under challenging circumstances, Iyer remarked, “It was one of my finest innings, especially coming out of an injury. I was eagerly waiting to come back and perform for the team.”
He praised his partnership with Shubman Gill, saying, “Yes, Shubman Gill is in tremendous form lately, and the way he is converting his starts is simply phenomenal.”
While Australia has been facing losses in ODIs, Iyer isn’t underestimating them for the World Cup clash: “We know how the Australian team is. The way they plan their stuff, I am sure they are playing these games as practice games and they want to build momentum going forward.”
Iyer battled cramps during his innings but returned to the field for Australia’s innings: “I am okay now, but I was getting serious cramps. I was not able to hold my grip. Even the caught and bowled which happened… I just played with the bottom hand. My mind was anxious, but I told myself to put the beast mode on.”
(With PTI inputs)