IND v NZ 1st Test: Shreyas Iyer raises the bar higher

Shreyas Iyer celebrates his half-century against NZ on Day 4 of the first Test at Kanpur yesterday. Pic/AFP

India's new Test middle-order batsman, Shreyas Iyer has been shouldering responsibilities right from his U-19 days. Hence, his sparkling, gritty performances in both innings of the ongoing Kanpur Test against the New Zealanders came as no surprise to those who have been associated with his career.

Iyer followed up his hundred in the first Test innings of his life with a 65 on Day Four of the opening game in Kanpur on Sunday. On Friday, Iyer, 26, emulated his coach and former India batsman Pravin Amre's wish by registering a magnificent 105. Amre scored a Test debut hundred against South Africa at Durban in 1992.

Iyer rescued the hosts after Ajinkya Rahane & Co were reeling at 51-5. His patient half-century helped India declare their second innings at 234-7, setting the Kiwis a victory target of 284.

Rege delighted

Former Mumbai captain Milind Rege is delighted to see Iyer progressing on the Test ladder. "I first set sight on Shreyas from the balcony of my flat [in Worli] when he was around 15 and was playing for Worli SC against Payyade SC [in the Purshottam Shield]. So, I went to the Worli SC ground and watched him smash 165 against a tough side. He was fearless and his confidence was simply great," said Rege, 72, who was then Mumbai's chief selector.

Amre, who was Iyer's coach at the Shivaji Park Gymkhana Academy and later during his stint with the Mumbai Ranji team, remarked: "I know the feeling and pleasure of scoring a hundred on debut. But I am more delighted for Shreyas's century."

Rege recalled how his Mumbai selection committee and then Mumbai coach Amre promoted Iyer to bat at No.3. "A great knock, a real Test innings. Credit to Shreyas obviously, but also to his father [Santosh], his family and the people who made him - his three coaches - Amre, Chandu Pandit and Sulakshan Kulkarni. They allowed him to bloom. When Shreyas made his Mumbai debut, he batted at No.7 for a couple of games. I told Pravin to send him up the order. He readily agreed as he was a future Mumbai talent," Rege said.

Iyer made his debut against Jammu and Kashmir in the 2014-15 Ranji Trophy season, scoring seven and one at No.7. Against Railways and Uttar Pradesh, he scored 11 and 75 respectively. When he got an opportunity to bat at No.3 against Bengal, he responded by scoring 153 at Kolkata in December 2014.

"I think Shreyas's Kanpur ton was similar to his 75 v Uttar Pradesh in that Ranji Trophy game at Green Park in 2014-15. He was playing after two failures and sensed that he might lose his place in the Mumbai team," Amre recalled.

‘Special talent'

Former Mumbai coach Sulakshan Kulkarni praised Iyer's technique and perfect placement. He recalled the time when he was coach of the MCA Colts team for their Talyarkhan Trophy final against Parsee Gymkhana in 2013. "Shreyas was a regular leg-spinner then and used to bat brilliantly. He must have been around 17 or 18, but he played some good ground shots for his 40 or 45. He batted just like he did at Kanpur, building his way to a remarkable innings. You need special talent to be accurate in your placement and Shreyas has it," Kulkarni said.

Ganesh Iyer, the former Mumbai team manager and Iyer's fellow Adarsh Nagar, Worli, resident, spoke about his mental toughness. "Shreyas is a naturally talented player, but I saw how hardworking he was even in his early days. Mentally he is a very strong player. In one Ranji Trophy game, he got out for 180. I told him I was expecting a double hundred and he replied, ‘Sir, don't worry, a double century will come in the next match.'"

The 200-plus score may not have been witnessed in the next game, but it spoke volumes of his drive. Talking about the next game, it's at Iyer's den and the Mumbai lion's roar could be louder at Wankhede Stadium.