Hoping my dream of playing Test cricket comes true, reveals Shreyas Iyer
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Shreyas Iyer has revealed that he still aspires to play Test cricket, which he believes is the highest level of cricket, and is hopeful of realizing his dream in the near future. Iyer, post the World Cup, has been a revelation for India and has asserted his authority in both the ODI and T20I sides.
The second-coming of Shreyas Iyer to international cricket has been a story for the ages, with the 25-year-old brutalizing bowling attacks whilst also adding the element of consistency in his game. His exploits in ODI cricket, specifically, have been sensational, with the right-hander having amassed seven half-centuries in just 11 outings since his comeback. However, Iyer’s excellence in coloured clothing has meant that his numbers in whites are often overlooked, despite his records being right up there with the best in the country.
Iyer, in 54 first-class matches for Mumbai, has accumulated close to 4600 runs at an average over 52 and famously, in 2015, scored 1321 runs which, till date, is the fourth-highest in a single season in the history of the competition. Speaking about his red-ball ambitions, the 25-year-old has revealed that he still aspires to play Test cricket for India and labelled it as his ‘dream’. Iyer further attested Tests as the highest level in cricket and revealed that he is hopeful of realziing his dream of donning the whites for India.
“I've grown up playing red-ball cricket. Once that is imbibed in you as a cricketer, it is never going to go away. No cricketer, who has spent a good amount of time playing red-ball cricket will ever quit aspiring to play Test cricket. It's a different feeling,” Iyer told Cricbuzz.
“It may sound like a cliche, but playing Test cricket is a dream and I hope it comes true soon. Don't think it's just me who thinks that way. Anybody who aspires to play the game at the highest level will always aspire to play Test cricket. Then it's all about how capable you are.”
Post the 2019 World Cup, Iyer is one of the very Indian players to have featured in almost every limited-over game for the country and once again, next week, will set off to play a three-match ODI series versus the Proteas. Seldom has there been a break for himself or his teammates and with the IPL set to begin from March 29, the trend is set to march on.
Voicing his opinion on the tight schedule, the Mumbaikar admitted that cricketers who play at the very highest level cannot afford to take breaks owing to the insane level of competition that surrounds them. The 25-year-old, who is also the skipper of the Delhi Capitals franchise, attested that it’s important for players to grab whatever opportunities they get with both hands.
“The level of competition we have right now, we can't ask for a break. A sportsperson's career-span is not too big. And while a sportsperson is active, it's almost impossible to expect him or her to stay away from action.
“That becomes a part of the system and a cricketer's life is no different. All I can say is it is up to us to make the best use of the opportunities.”
