My temperament is strong now, process matters more than the results: Shreyas Iyer
Shreyas Iyer is an attention-grabbing and stirring prospect. He is young and thus is an embodiment of the carefree attitude, yet when he wields the willow, beauty sparkles all over. For him, this beauty is his best attitude.
He has plundered runs for fun in the Domestic season, in 38 First class matches he has smoked bowlers north and south. With 3366 runs at an astounding average of 55.18, Iyer is quintessential from the Mumbai batting brigade, it could be fair to say that the 'Khadoos' word used with Mumbai cricket has been given a new definition by Iyer.
He saunters out, takes guard and does not care about reputations. The 22-year-old was included in the Indian squad for the Dharamsala Test and although he did not take part in the playing XI, the muzzled murmurs about him being included in the national set-up had finally seen the light of day.
Iyer now visits South Africa as a part of the India-A squad and in an exclusive interaction with Sportskeeda, he outlined his plans.
While it is difficult to gauge the tonality of players when their quotes are transcribed, it can be safely said, the boy from Mumbai has grown through the ranks and is now a confident man.
You were part of India's last Test squad but have not been included for the Sri Lanka tour. Is it surprising?
Well, I did not even think about it and to be honest, I do not have any reactions. I am going to South Africa right now and for me, that is far more important than brooding over the Test selection.
Travelling out of the subcontinent and playing in foreign conditions on very different pitches will give me better exposure and confidence. I want to be ready and for this, I have to focus on this trip, so that when I am back, my game becomes suited to all conditions.
Currently, people would want some reactions from me, but I am very normal at the moment.
You were with the Indian team for the Dharamsala Test. How different was it from the normal setup for a young man who made it to the national squad for the first time?
It was surreal, I mean it was really nice to share the dressing room with someone like a Virat Kohli. I never shied away from the team, because I had the belief that I could play against the best opposition on my day. Also, I had scored a double century against Australia in one of the warm-up matches and this gave me a tremendous boost.
And yes, I also managed to pull off a run out and the team started loving me even more. I was quite chuffed too, it was brilliant to contribute to the team's cause.
You had a bumper IPL season this time, what clicked and what changes did you make?
I cannot say anything special clicked, well I just followed a routine, focused on my preparations and was confident in my abilities. Fortunately, everything fell into place and things worked out for me.
How has Rahul Dravid influenced you, both in the IPL and during the A-tours on your game?
I've been there with Rahul Sir for three years now. He was there when I first played for India A.
Well, he is a really nice coach, he knows how to handle the youngsters and more often than not the A teams are filled with youngsters. He speaks to them and always encourages them to play their natural game and to go ahead and express themselves on the field.
He is brilliant at man-management and has been excellent in coordinating with all of us and if there is anything he wants to put across, he does it with a lot of conviction.
He never tries to put any undue pressure on us and I am really comfortable when he is around me!
I remember during the IPL, he sat down with me when I was in the midst of a good run having stitched together a few good innings. The only thing he said to me was that 'since you have the capability of playing big innings, take up the responsibility and take the team over the line.' This vote of confidence gave me real self-belief.
How important are these A-tours for the development of players?
For the development of players, these A tours are huge, they hold a lot of significance. Once you have managed to perform on these tours, you take giant strides towards the National team.
Personally, for me, these tours have been huge in my growth as a player. I believe that once I have dished out performances for the A team, I am prepared for all conditions and do not need to prove anything to anyone anymore. So yes, these tours are colossal for the growth of young players.
With the competition so intense for spots in the Indian team, do you think there is pressure on someone like you to do something special to grab attention?
To be frank, I do not take any pressure. Like I said earlier, I am more keen to do my job and leave the results to do its bit.
But having said that, this was not how I thought when I started my career. Since the entire set-up was new to me, I put a lot of pressure on myself to perform and more often than not this bogged me down.
I used to think about what other people, what my teammates, would think about me and this was really one thing I could have done without.
What is your biggest strength as a batsman?
It is tough to pick out any one aspect, but yes I believe that I have the ability to take my team to the end if I get in.
Like I said earlier, the sessions with Rahul sir helped me tremendously and this allowed me to work on my temperament. Earlier, I remember I used to throw away my wicket despite being well set and this had an adverse effect on the team.
Also, I just kept batting with the flow, so to speak, and was never able to decipher what was going around me. This did not help either me or my team.
As I have progressed, my game has improved and so has my ability to read the game and adjust accordingly. I have mellowed a lot and now I can adapt to whatever conditions are thrown at me.
Back in 2015-16 you were the highest run-scorer in the Ranji Trophy but had a miserable IPL 2016. What were the lessons you learnt?
I do not want to make any excuses, but to be frank, I was more invested in the Ranji Trophy that season and thus did not get much time to prepare myself for T20s.
I remember panicking a lot. I spoke to many people about my game, but still do not know if it helped me.
But yes, even during that rut, I watched my colleagues practice and go about their routines with diligence and this inspired me a lot.
When things do not work for you, in many ways it becomes a good phase to learn new things and everything came together this season.
How important has fitness become in the game?
No compromises there, fitness is very important primarily because of the number of matches the players play these days. There can no longer be any excuses; if you have to survive the ordeals of the game, you have to be fit!
The fitness drills we have these days are quite amazing and players are constantly pushing themselves to improve the benchmark.
How different is playing for India A as compared to Ranji Trophy?
The only change I believe is in the surroundings. Also, there are new players each year and hence one has to constantly adjust to the group, which is exciting in many ways.
It is good to know different players and about their game and their routines. You can only learn from different players once you observe them going about their business in different conditions and hence I reiterate A tours are very important.
See, the change is all about adapting to different conditions, and for me that is all in the mind!
Do you think the selectors are looking at you only for the Test squad, or do you think your game is suited for all formats?
I believe that I am suitable for all three formats and have the confidence in my game to ace all formats.
If I get a chance in any one of the formats, I have to be ready to jump on the ship and make the best use of the chance.
Do you speak with your Mumbai colleagues like Ajinkya Rahane and Rohit Sharma and take tips from them?
Obviously, I speak with them, but then I am at the stage of my career when it is best not to take advice from people about my game.
But yes, I observe their routines and how they prepare themselves and try to inculcate those things in my repertoire.
If you would have asked this question to a 19-year-old, you would have got a better answer, I believe.
Delhi Daredevils had a miserable run this IPL despite having plenty of young talent. What did you learn as a person?
It was disheartening, to say the least, to see the team lose, but, personally, I try to give it my all every time I walk onto the field.
Like I said, I focus on what I can do and then leave the results to themselves. If you want to win you have to be prepared to lose too, and this is what I learnt this season.
We were a team of youngsters and, to be fair, were not expected to ignite the competition. Nevertheless, we tried to help each other and get the best out of each other at all times and at the same time learn from the experienced people around us.
Where do you see yourself in about 6-7 months?
I am not thinking that far ahead, to be honest. My short term goal is to go and perform to the best of my ability in South Africa and then take it from there.
Performances there will help me stand in good stead for the future tournaments. Look, once I get into the national side, I want to be there for the next 2-3 years, hence I invest a lot of energy in smart work and preparation.
What do you do to switch off from the game; what are your hobbies?
I play on the PlayStation with my friends, go out for movies with them, play football, travel and explore places.
My wish is to have fun at all times!