"That problem was only created by outsiders" - Shreyas Iyer on his widely debated short-ball woes

Team India batter Shreyas Iyer has settled relatively well into the national team setup across formats since making his debut in 2017. Despite his achievements, which include a famous Test debut, his discomfort against short-pitched deliveries has often been the takeaway from his exploits, especially in recent times.

The right-handed batter has fallen victim to the short ball and has looked shaky against it at times as well. His penchant for spin bowling, coupled with his excellent front-foot play, has prompted opposition fast bowlers to target Iyer with a barrage of bouncers.

Right from franchise cricket to the international level, he has been a victim of the ploy. Despite this tactic, he has emerged as Team India's leading run-scorer across formats in 2022 after scoring 1609 runs from 39 matches.

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Addressing his short-ball concerns that have been fabricated by the people, and something which every batter has gone through over the course of their careers, Iyer said in an interview with Hindustan Times:

"That problem was only created by outsiders. Many batters go through this phase where they get out in a particular way. I believe I went through that where I was targeted by the outside noise. I just wanted to prove them wrong. Eventually, I just decided I don’t have any problem. I am someone who likes to be in the present, loves to work on my abilities and skills."

One of Shreyas Iyer's best performances in 2022 came during the recent tour of Bangladesh. The Mumbai-born batter scored a counter-attacking 87 in the first innings of the second Test and chipped in with a crucial unbeaten 29 in the nervy fourth innings run chase.

Recalling how he prepared for the impending short-ball barrage by Bangladesh pacers Taskin Ahmed and Khaled Ahmed, Iyer said:

"Before getting in to bat in the first innings, I faced the sidearm bowler in the nets and a left-arm spinner. They were pitching a little short to me. I was trying to have a strong base and hit it over midwicket. I was timing every ball... so I gained confidence. Also, the sidearm bowler was varying his pace and I was getting into position, which came instinctively to me."

He continued:

"And when I went into bat they came up with the plan of short balls. I left a few balls, (but) one of them was close to my body. After that I decided no matter where they bowl, I was going to play my stroke. Automatically my body was coming into the right position, I was playing the ball down, and that’s what you want to see in Test matches."

Iyer has more or less sealed his position in the middle-order in red-ball cricket. The right-handed batter has hardly put a foot wrong since making his debut against New Zealand in late 2021.

"Kept my mindset right and turned a deaf ear to outside noise" - Shreyas Iyer

Shreyas Iyer managed to imprint an impression across Tests and ODIs in 2022 while the focus was largely on the shortest format of the game. The year also saw the player switch franchises in the Indian Premier League (IPL). He was roped in by the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the mega-auctions and was appointed their captain as well.

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Stating that he chose to keep things simple while playing his part on the field, Iyer said:

"I love to keep the right attitude and approach when I step on the field; other things then take care of themselves. I love to play the situation as well."

He added:

"If I keep thinking what the bowler is going to do to me, if I think they are on top of me in that situation, rather than just look at the ball and react—that is when I play the best. That is what I started doing, got my basics right, kept my mindset right and turned a deaf ear to outside noise."

Iyer has a crucial year ahead of him with his favored formats taking precedence. He is primed to play a key role in the middle order across both ODIs and Tests as Team India aims to scale the coveted World Test Championship (WTC) and ODI World Cup double.

Has Shreyas Iyer conquered his issues against the short ball? Let us know what you think.