Shreyas Iyer has no regrets over missing out on his maiden ton, says father Santosh Iyer

23-year-old Shreyas Iyer showed his class in his only second international outing for India. The top-order batter scored an impressive 88 off just 70 balls, including nine boundaries and a couple of sixes. He missed out on scoring his maiden hundred but showcased his skills and flair in Mohali. On a day when Indian skipper Rohit Sharma whacked 13 boundaries and 12 sixes to get to his third double ton in ODI cricket, there was this youngster Iyer, who made an impression.

Iyer has scored close to 4000 runs in First-class cricket at a staggering average of 53.90. And he has 11 tons and 20 fifties to his name. He will be eager to do well in the remaining games against Sri Lanka and make an inroad to the Indian squad for the limited-overs series against South Africa next year.

I was a bit disappointed: Iyer’s father

Iyer’s father Santosh spoke to Mid-day yesterday and said that he was a bit disappointed as his son couldn’t reach the three-figure mark.”I was a bit disappointed that he got out after coming so close to a century. I told him that he should have aimed at completing his hundred,” he said from Mumbai.

Iyer’s response surprised his father. “Shreyas was disappointed to get out in that manner, but he had no regrets over missing out on his century. He told me that he will get ample opportunities to score one, but at that point of time in the match he was required to go for his shots,” said the senior Iyer. “He has always been a team man. Even at school cricket and age-group tournaments, he has always done what the situation demanded for his team,” Santosh added.

India will take on Sri Lanka in the finals of the ODI series on Sunday in Vizag. It will be a good opportunity for the men in blue to stamp their authority yet again and this time in the absence of their regular skipper Virat Kohli.