Shreyas Iyer's sublime fifty takes India D out of precarious situation after shaky start

India D skipper Shreyas Iyer bounced back from a disappointing first innings to notch a crucial half-century on Day 2 of the ongoing Duleep Trophy match against India C in Anantapur. Iyer's knock of 54 runs off 44 balls, including nine boundaries and a six, proved crucial in putting his team in a strong position.

After a string of low scores in the recent ODI series against Sri Lanka, where he managed just 23, seven, and eight runs across three innings, his fifty would be big confidence booster for him. With a packed Test season ahead, including series against Bangladesh, and New Zealand, and the highly anticipated Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia, Iyer's performance in the Duleep Trophy could be important to reclaim his spot in the national Test squad.

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India D have a lead of 202 runs after end of Day 2

The right-handed batter's aggressive yet controlled innings played a significant role in India D's comeback after a shaky start. Partnering with Devdutt Padikkal, who contributed a solid 56 off 70 balls, Iyer helped steady the ship following the early dismissals of openers Atharva Taide and Yash Dubey. The 29-year-old's innings had some confident play as he played smartly.

The Mumbai-born's performance gains additional significance considering his recent struggles in Test cricket. Having played 14 Tests and scoring 811 runs with one century and five half-centuries, Iyer has faced challenges in solidifying his place in the longest format. His in-and-out status on the Test side, partly due to injuries and partly due to form, makes this Duleep Trophy performance all the more crucial.

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By the end of Day 2, India D has made a substantial lead of 202 runs with Harshit Rana and Axar Patel still at the crease and will be hoping to extend their lead as they come to bat the following day.