Shreyas Iyer (56 off 67 balls) reveals he was always looking to take charge of the situation during 114-run stand with Virat Kohli against Pakistan
India’s Shreyas Iyer during his knock of 56 against Pakistan in Dubai on Sunday. PIC/PTI
With Virat Kohli hogging the limelight with his superlative century against Pakistan, it is very easy to undermine the performances of the other players, be it the bowlers or the other batsmen who supported King Kohli right through his innings. The base for the victory was laid by the bowling unit, especially the troika of spinners, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja. On the batting front, Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer took charge when Kohli was circumspect at the start of his innings.
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Axar, the perfect team man
But the biggest support to Virat was provided by Axar who refrained the urge to become a hero by finishing the match in a flourish and allowed Virat to complete his century with a winning boundary. Such sacrifices show the team spirit and the players’ respect for each other. That’s what was on display at the post-match media interaction when Shreyas unabashedly praised the efforts of the bowlers for laying the foundation of the victory.
When he was asked if the win was made easier by the splendid job of the bowlers, Shreyas said: “Yeah, absolutely. They bowled tremendously, especially in the middle phase where the ball was turning and also [the pitch was] helping a bit. As we know, even in the previous game when we played over here, the wicket was a bit slow. It’s spinner-friendly, of course, and the way they’ve been bowling consistently over a period of time, I think the amalgamation of all three [spin] bowlers has paid off quite well.”
On his innings of 56 and his crucial century partnership with Virat, Shreyas said: “I am always content when the team wins a match. In my innings, I thought initially I was struggling a bit to manoeuvre the ball into the gaps. I think Abrar [Ahmed] bowled brilliantly. It was crucial for me to play out that spell and rotate the strike at the same time.
Sweep tactics worked
“I took some time, and then once my eyes were set, I thought that the sweep and the reverse sweep would be a great option to put them on the back foot. And I think that worked pretty well for me. And from there on, it was important to build the partnership and take the team through [to the doorsteps of victory].”
He was asked how it feels to bat at number four when the platform is already set, he replied: “Well, I must say it’s not always set. Sometimes you go in when we have lost two quick wickets. Either way, I love to take on the bowlers when we are under pressure. And that’s my mindset. If we take the charge, if we gain the momentum, then it’s easy to steady the ship.”
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