My Ranji record good enough to warrant Test selection, states Shreyas Iyer
Mumbai’s Shreyas Iyer, who boasts of an impeccable first-class record, averaging over 52, believes that his red-ball record is good enough to warrant selection for the Indian Test side. Averaging close to 50 in ODI cricket, Iyer stated that he now is looking to cement his place in the Test side.
In 2015, a 21-year-old Shreyas Iyer sent shockwaves around the country with his startling performances in the Ranji Trophy for Mumbai, amassing a staggering 1321 runs in a single season - which was then the second-best single season run tally in the competition’s history - to make the world take notice of him.Â
Despite not hitting the same heights in the seasons that have followed, Iyer has, however, continued to remain a consistent performer in Ranji, but the presence of a plethora of big names in the Indian Test side has meant that the youngster has unfortunately not been able to get a look in, in red-ball cricket.
But having now established himself as a mainstay in the white-ball team, the 25-year-old has now stated that his aim is now to cement a place in the Indian Test side. Iyer also added that his excellent first-class record is good enough for him to earn a place in the Indian Test squad.
"Yes, I have always wanted to play Test cricket for India and my average in Ranji Trophy is pretty good to get selected. And I have been consistent throughout, so really looking forward to play in the Test team and cement my place there as well," Iyer was quoted as saying by Times of India.
Test ambitions aside, with the Covid-19 pandemic jeopardizing the immediate future of the sport, there have been talks about the ICC barring bowlers from using saliva to shine the ball and instead legalizing ball-tampering.
A thoughtful skipper aside from being a nonchalant hitter, Iyer opined that there should be no restrictions in place when the sport resumes and that the bowlers would need to be provided with all the help they need to get the ball swinging. The Mumbaikar, however, admitted that at the end, every cricketer would have no option but to abide by the restrictions posed by the ICC.
"If we are starting, there shouldn't be any restrictions. As a batsman, I look for the ball to be new and as a bowler you need the ball to swing so it is kind of equally important for both. And it will be the law making body's decision and we will have to abide by that.”
Despite there being a certain amount of scepticism behind games played in front of empty stands, Iyer believes that any sort of cricket will boost the morale of the people in the country, with especially cricket being treated as a religion in India.
"I would be very keen to go out and play because that is what I am waiting for. You do realise that cricket is a religion in this country and if we go out and play and it is there for people to view on television, it will be a huge positive as things will start moving towards normal and people will also be entertained.”