Shreyas Iyer aims to replicate previous season form

Delhi Daredevils batsman Shreyas Iyer had a productive IPL season last year. However, this time, around, the 21-year old carries a burden of expectations on his young shoulders. He was quintessentially the star of the Ranji Trophy this season. In his maiden season in 2014-15, Iyer smashed a mammoth 809 runs averaging 50.56. The 2-14-15 season may well have been the Ranji Trophy edition that Shreyas Iyer came of age.

He was the driving force behind Mumbai winning their 41st Ranji Trophy title. His numbers in the Ranji Trophy was simply off the charts. He finished as the highest run-getter in the competition with 1321 from 11 matches an average of 73.38, with a joint season-high of four centuries and seven fifties – all scored at a superb strike-rate of 92.70. With such exploits, it wasn’t a surprise that he was signed for a whopping 2.6 Crore by the Delhi Daredevils.

Speaking exclusively to TOI, Iyer said that it was important that he replicates his form from the previous season. “To play the same way I did last season. People didn’t believe that the season would go this well for a debutant who scored 800 runs in his first season. They thought that the first season was good so the second one will be tough because the opposition will be ready and will come at me with certain plans. There were things said like this, but I think I’ve proved them wrong. It was really satisfying.”

Iyer also added that he backed his instincts with the bat each time, a trait that has accounted for the 1300 runs scored this campaign. “I believe it’s been there from the start. Whenever I used to play matches as a child, I used to dominate bowlers. I never liked to play slow cricket. I back my instincts and look to play positively from the first ball, whatever the situation is. Even if we are 20 for 2, I just look to go out and back myself to score fast and score big. Play my natural game, don’t let the bowlers get on top of me. That’s how it comes.”

“The hundred against Saurashtra on day two of the final, which was my fourth of the season. That helped Mumbai win the Ranji Trophy, so it felt really good. It was the icing on the cake. Also, getting a double hundred against Punjab because I had never done that in my career. I’d never managed to reach the target of scoring 200 so that was kind of satisfying to do that,” Iyer added.

When speaking about his outing with the Delhi Daredevils the previous season, Iyer stated that it was a great platform and that it would fast-track his international career growth. “We had Yuvraj Singh, Zaheer Khan and JP Duminy and all of them were very helpful to the youngsters in the team. Whenever we had any doubts we would go to them and they never hesitated in giving us tips regarding training, technique, and the matches, so overall it was a great experience. I think the pressure wasn’t there much on me. I could play with freedom. That came from the room that the coach and players gave me, right from the practice games. The main thing was to perform in the practice games, which I did. I made my mark in the teams from those matches,” Iyer added.