IPL 2021 | Will return in time for the restart of the IPL; not sure about the captaincy, reveals Shreyas Iyer
Iyer reveals that he will return for postponed IPL
|IPLT20
Shreyas Iyer, ahead of the restart of the IPL, has stated that he will return in time for the restart of the tournament, reportedly in September but was unsure about the captaincy role. He also stated his experience with Rahul Dravid and said that he gives players a lot of freedom and opportunities.
Having injured his shoulder during the three-match ODI series against England, Shreyas Iyer was ruled out of the 2021 edition of the Indian Premier League. While he was expected to be later part of the Indian squad for the World T20, a lot of it was dependent on his recovery from the shoulder injury.
With the IPL being postponed at the mid-stage, it has given a window for the right-handed batsman to make a comeback in the tournament. In a conversation with The Grade Cricketer on YouTube, Iyer cleared the air stating that he will return in time for the restart of the IPL. However, the 26-year-old added that he is unclear about whether he would be reinstated as the captain but revealed that the main goal is for the franchise to lift the IPL trophy.
“My shoulder is healed, it is the last stage of achieving strength and range, it is going to take about a month, obviously the training is going on. I will be there in the IPL but I don’t know about the captaincy yet, it is in the hands of the owners. The team is already topping the league and that’s all that really matters to me. My main aim and goal is to lift the trophy for Delhi, that’s the main focus for me,” Iyer revealed in a chat with The Grade Cricketer.
The Mumbaikar also stated that he has taken a calmer approach towards the selection procedure, adding that his job is to just go out and perform for the country and not worry too much about the other factors.
“I always take an open attitude towards selection, earlier I used to think that I should have been in the team. But right now, I feel I am sorted and the selection point is not in my mind. My job is to go out perform and entertain people, that sort of mindset has really helped me get away from feeling bad about myself. I have overcome those thoughts with ease now.”
Ahead of India’s well-awaited clash against Sri Lanka, Iyer opened up on his relationship with Rahul Dravid, who is currently in Sri Lanka as India’s head coach. He insisted that Dravid gives a lot of freedom for the players to express themselves and added that there will be opportunities for most players. Iyer also stated his eagerness to watch Shikhar Dhawan captain the side, from the front.
“Very much excited and everyone will get a fair amount of chances to play a game in Sri Lanka, playing under Rahul Dravid has been a great experience for me as well, in the past. I have played under him in India A and have been captained by him. He gives you a lot of freedom as a captain and opportunities as a player. I feel that players in Sri Lanka are going to be really good and have a blast with him. Shikhar Dhawan is a really funny guy, only one series I have watched him captain, really looking forward to seeing him captain for India.”
