BAN vs IND 2022: There were so many messages that it took more than 10 days for me to respond – Shreyas Iyer recalls his Test debut

Indian batter Shreyas Iyer has revealed it took him more than 10 days to respond to congratulatory messages after his successful Test debut. Iyer was able to hit the ground running in whites as he scored a fine knock of 105 runs in his debut innings against New Zealand at Green Park, Kanpur in 2021.

Iyer got his chance in the playing XI after Ajinkya Rahane was dropped from the team following his poor run of form. The Mumbai batter scored 65 runs in the second dig against the Kiwis to have a dream debut for the Indian team.

However, the match ended in a draw but Iyer was awarded the Player of the Match for scoring 170 runs in his maiden Test match.

Recalling his Test debut on Mashable India’s The Bombay Journey show, Shreyas Iyer said: “I was talking to Shubman Gill and he was telling me about the things that would happen if I went on to score a century. It was one of the best feelings, and it’s hard to express in words. Getting my Test cap from Sunil Gavaskar sir was like a fairytale for me. There were so many messages that it took more than 10 days for me to respond.”

“I suddenly got a call saying that I was there in the team. I did not perform well in the T20I series against New Zealand, as I only got to bat in the last two or three overs. I wasn’t expecting to get picked for the red-ball team at the time. I was prepared in my mind that whatever happens, I am going to take it like a boss.”

Iyer added he loves to analyze the bowlers’ plans before the match. The right-hander has struggled against short-pitched deliveries in the recent past and he would want to work on the same.

He added: “I love to do visualizations the day before the game. I love to analyze the bowlers and play their actions in my head. I visualize everything. I am always optimistic when it comes to getting the best out of myself.

“I don’t have any superstitions. If I have scored runs after wearing a particular pair of socks, I will try to do the opposite next time. However, it’s not the same when it comes to the bat. A bat is like a sword, and I even interact with it at times.”

Iyer has scored 452 runs in six Test matches at an average of 50.22 and he will look to continue the good show in the two-match Test series against Bangladesh. The 28-year-old is currently batting unbeaten on 34 runs in the first innings against the Tigers.