'Tried to bribe him but didn't work' - Shreyas Iyer reveals unique request he made to vice-captain Jasprit Bumrah

Team India won the first T20I series opener against Sri Lanka by a comfortable margin of 62 runs at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow. The hosts posted a mammoth total of 199 runs in their allotted 20 overs and with Sri Lanka in their chase, India tried as many as seven bowling options. Meanwhile, Shreyas Iyer has revealed that he asked the Indian vice-captain Jasprit Bumrah to bowl in the death overs.

Apart from Bumrah, Indian pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal, Venkatesh Iyer, Ravindra Jadeja and Deepak Hooda had already bowled in the match and took six wicket between themselves. With India in a comfortable position to win the match, Iyer in the post match presentation revealed that he had a conversation with Bumrah to roll his arm in the death overs. Although it did not work in his favour.

I had already put my hand up, says Shreyas Iyer

Speaking in the post match presentation Iyer said, “I had already put my hand up (for a bowl). Around the 16th over when he (Rohit) went it he had already told Bumrah these are the bowlers who need to bowl. I tried to bribe Bumrah but it didn’t work for me (laughs).”

Iyer had earlier presented his case as the sixth bowling option during ODI series played against South Africa last month. Skipper Sharma earlier had also emphasized on the fact that Iyer needs to present himself as an all-rounder to be a regular feature in the Indian squad.

Coming back to the match, India won after restricting the visitors 137 runs for the loss of six wickets. Bhuvneshwar and Venkatesh Iyer were the pick of the bowlers for home side taking two wickets each, while Chahal and Jadeja picked one apiece. Earlier in the evening, Ishan Kishan played a stunning 89-run knock along with Shreyas’s 28-ball 57 that helped India finish with a strong total.