Not that there was any doubt over it, but with a dazzling hundred, Shreyas Iyer has stamped his claim as India’s ODI No.4, writes Abhishek Mukherjee.
In 2022, Shreyas Iyer made 724 runs – the most by any0ne in men’s ODIs from an ICC Full Member nation – while averaging 55.69 and striking at 92.
Topping the batting charts is not something you associate with a player who almost always bats outside the top three, but Iyer is no ordinary number four. So far it’s just AB de Villiers and Eoin Morgan. You can score more runs in this position and have a higher average hit rate.
After the golden year of 2022, Iyer was supposed to be the first choice in India’s World Cup squad. His back pain then set in and he was unable to bat in the Ahmedabad Test against Australia, then the ODIs, IPL and World Test Championship final.
Iyer also did not play for West Indies. India had a top three of Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli and they were able to keep even Shikhar Dhawan at bay. He also has to compete with his two all-rounders, a 6-year-old and his 7-year-old.
In the fourth and fifth innings, you had to choose two batsmen and one of them could keep the wicket. In Iyer’s absence, KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant were supposed to feature, but India didn’t have them either.
They resorted to the most obvious solution and chose Suryakumar Yadav, a true T20I legend, for the position and supported him even whenthings didn’t go well.
“To be honest, this was the last chance to try out some of our players. We only have a few injured players playing in the NCA. Although there is still a month until the Asia Cup. , there is a lack of time in many ways,” India head coach Rahul Dravid admitted during the tour to the West Indies.
Fortunately for Dravid and India, 21st century medicine has allowed Rahul and Iyer to return to the Asia Cup along with fast bowlers Jasprit Bumrah and Prasidh Krishna.
“I didn’t expect to recover so quickly, so I’m really happy to be where I am now,” Iyer told ESPNcricinfo.
For Ireland, Bumrah and Placido had already shown they were fit for at least Twenty20 cricket. Meanwhile, Rahul and Iyer attended the Asia Cup for match simulation training and minimal match practice. Rahul was not a perfect fit.
Iyer came into bat in the comeback game after India lost Rohit and Kohli within seven overs. Shaheen Shah Afridi had a poor start to the day, but the rain helped him get his rhythm back.
At the other end, Iyer picked up two twos from Haris Rauch and then forced him into two fours. Rauf attempted a bouncer in the next over, but Iyer sensed it early and moved on the back foot to parry the move…eventually finding the only fielder close to the shot.
Iyer was unable to bat against Nepal and missed the rest of the Asian Cup due to back spasms. India’s other problem, Rahul’s form and fitness, was addressed as he scored a frolicking hundred while defending wickets without much fuss in the Superfords match against Pakistan.
Iyer’s form was one of the many questions that arose as India started the series against Australia. Team management clearly thought he was healthy enough to play, but was he still that good?
Will he still beat Ishan Kishan, who, unlike Iyer, is a left-handed batsman who can keep wickets, open and middle-order batsmen and didn’t waste his chance against Pakistan?
The first ODI was as bespoke as anything was made for him. In the absence of Rohit and Kohli, he was scheduled to bat at number three and reached a score of 142 for 1. At that point, India needed 140 off 172 balls. Two overs later, he was dismissed due to miscommunication with Gill.
Iyer’s post-recovery phase (three ODIs, two innings, two unfortunate dismissals) revealed little about his form. He didn’t struggle (he looked rather fluent), but he also didn’t spend any time in the crease. If anything, ‘SKY’ joined Kishan and added a 49-ball 50 to his number 4 in the replacement list.
Then, in the second ODI, Iyer came into his own in the fourth over, starting with six fours from the first 16 balls and hitting five more shots on the ropes to complete three overs.
He beat Gil, who was in good shape, one shot at a time, beating him one hundred shots and one hundred. When he dropped from his 90 balls to his 105, he got an answer to the questions looming over India’s No. 4.
Surya scored an unbeaten 37 off 72 balls and Kishan backed up that claim with 31 hits off 18 balls, but they were in Iyer’s place for most of 2023.
As Dravid pointed out, “We need to try other players and give them some chances so that if the worst happens, at least they get game time.”
If one of them does not drop out, the return of Iyer and Rahul will ensure India’s place in the top five. Kishan and Yadav will probably have to wait for their opportunities as they are very good batting players.
