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'Leaving The Ball Bores Me'- Shreyas Iyer's Bold Statement Before England Series

image-lrfs0sulShreyas Iyer has been picked for ENG Tests [X.com]

Indian middle-order batter Shreyas Iyer expressed his disdain for leaving the ball in Test cricket, stating that it bores him. After a stellar performance in Mumbai's 10-wicket victory over Andhra Pradesh in the Ranji Trophy, where he scored a brisk 48 runs off just 48 balls, Iyer highlighted his preference for playing shots even against what he deemed as negative bowling.

"I'm going to play attacking irrespective of the situation. I played my shots, even when they bowled defensively or wide off the stumps. They were bowling negative, leaving me with no option but to play my strokes. I knew leaving the ball would bore me; I would rather go and play some strokes. That's what I considered at that point in time," Iyer said. 

Having recently been excluded from India's T20I series against Afghanistan, Iyer joined Mumbai for the Ranji Trophy 2024. 

Regarding the snub, he opted to stay focused on the present, emphasising his commitment to helping Mumbai win rather than dwelling on selections beyond his control.

As he prepares for the upcoming five-match Test series against England starting on January 25 in Hyderabad, Iyer acknowledged that the pitch in the recent Ranji Trophy match was not as spin-friendly as expected. 

However, he emphasised the importance of spending more time on the field after recovering from recent injuries, making this his first Ranji Trophy appearance in over five years.

Despite a challenging campaign against South Africa, where he managed only 41 runs in four innings, Iyer appeared unfazed. Not being included in the ongoing home series against Afghanistan did not seem to bother him either.

With the middle-order competition intensifying, Iyer welcomed the challenge as players like Rajat Patidar and Abhimanyu Easwaran continue to impress in domestic matches.

 "I love competition. I thrive on it. It's fun to face more challenges, both against fellow players and opponents, to showcase your talent and skills," he remarked.

Since his Test debut in November 2021, Iyer has played 12 Tests, amassing 707 runs in 20 innings with an impressive average of 59.27. His attacking approach, reflected in his strike rate of 65.34 in Tests, could prove crucial against spinners in the upcoming Test series.

Recent reports suggest India may opt for a specialist wicketkeeper, potentially KS Bharat, leaving KL Rahul to focus solely on batting. This decision puts Rahul in direct competition with Iyer for a middle-order spot.