I didn't get fair enough chances to represent India: Shreyas Iyer

Shreyas Iyer is doing all a player could do to break into the Indian team. The right-hander has been one of the most consistent batsmen in domestic cricket for quite some time now. In the recently-concluded Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, he amassed 484 runs at an average of 60.5 and a very impressive strike-rate of 152.50. During the course of the tournament, he also scored two centuries including a 55-ball 147 against Sikkim which is the highest score by an Indian in the shortest format of the game.

However, all those performances with the bat have not changed his fortunes as far as earning a recall from the Indian team is concerned. Iyer has so far played just six ODIs and managed to leave a mark in those limited chances by playing knocks of 88 and 65. However, Shreyas has now fallen down the pecking order, having last played an ODI way back in February last year.

Iyer, who is gearing up to lead Delhi Capitals in the upcoming IPL season, has now said he didn’t get enough chances to showcase his potential at the highest stage of the game. “Yeah, I felt that way. If there was some other player in place of me, he would have also felt disappointed. Your eventual goal is to play for your country. I was disappointed when I was dropped and didn’t get fair enough chances,” Shreyas told The Times of India (TOI). “But when you look at the TV and see your team winning, it gives a lot of satisfaction. That is more important.”

Shreyas was given a lifeline when the selectors named him in the squad for the T20I series against Windies at home and the series in Australia. He, however, did not play a single game before the selectors surprisingly dropped him for the ODI series in Australia and the succeeding tour of New Zealand.

Iyer further said that he is willing to bat any position if given an opportunity. “I back myself at any number. I am just waiting for my chance,” he said. “I am doing really well in every tournament. I am enjoying my cricket and not thinking about the selection process. Selection is not in my hands. My job is to perform and I’m doing that. Anything can happen (in the future), you can get a random call from the selectors that you’ve been selected for the World Cup.”

Iyer for number four:

Recently, Delhi Capitals head coach and former Australia skipper Ricky Ponting said that India should try out Iyer to end their number four woes. With India’s several experiments backfiring, Ponting feels Iyer could be the man for that spot.

“They tried a few even during the recent Australia series. Rayudu was there, Rishabh, Shankar. They could have also have tried Shreyas Iyer. He is a very good player. He has had a great domestic season. I am excited to catch up with him. It’s an interesting conundrum; maybe, they can fit in KL Rahul in that spot,” Ricky Ponting was quoted as saying in an interview.

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