Indian middle-order batsman Shreyas Iyer strongly dismissed any suggestions of his struggles against the short ball, asserting that he harbored no extra motivation to perform well in Mumbai, his home turf.
Iyer, who had been sidelined for six months due to an injury sustained earlier in the year, notched up his second half-century of the 2023 ICC Men's ODI World Cup during India's encounter with Sri Lanka at the Wankhede Stadium on Thursday. This impressive innings significantly contributed to the team's total of 357/8, especially after being asked to bat first by Sri Lanka's skipper, Kusal Mendis.
His score of 82 off 56 balls came after strong performances from Shubman Gill (92) and Virat Kohli (88), who laid the foundation for a substantial total. During his innings, Iyer displayed his proficiency in the pull shot, striking three boundaries and six maximums with consistency.
When questioned about his proficiency against the short ball, Iyer responded emphatically, saying, "Troubled me? Have you seen how many pull shots I've scored? Especially, which has gone for four. If you're trying to hit a ball, you're bound to get out anyway. Irrespective it's a short ball, it's an over pitch. If I get bowled two or three times, you all would say that, OK, he can't play an in-swinging ball. He can't play a cut if a ball is seeming," he retorted during the post-match press conference.
Iyer emphasized that the media had unfairly created a perception that he struggled against the short ball, saying, "So, see, we, as players are bound to get out on any sort of deliveries. You guys have created that environment outside that he can't play a short ball. And I feel that people are picking that up every now and then and it plays on your mind regularly and you keep working on that."
The 28-year-old right-handed Mumbai batsman underlined his familiarity with playing the short ball, given his extensive experience at the Wankhede Stadium. He pointed out, "Coming from Mumbai, especially from Wankhede, where the bounce is pretty much even and it bounces way more than any other pitches. So, I've played the majority of my games here, so I know how to tackle it. It's just that when I go to hit some shots, you are bound to get out and sometimes it may work, sometimes it may not. And majority of the times it hasn't worked for me, maybe that's the reason you think it's a problem for me. But in my mind, I know there's no problem."
Iyer's absence from many matches this year due to a back injury made his return to the team for the World Cup all the more gratifying. He expressed his gratitude, saying, ""Yes, I was longing to come back to the team and looking at this play on TV, it was a difficult situation or position to be in. I am thankful for where I am and I also want to thank myself for working hard to be here with the team."
"I know the grind and the preparation I went through before coming here. It was intense. And also, the people who supported me through this journey, I would just like to thank them for being there for me and supporting me through thick and thin," Iyer added.
