Against India C in the ongoing Duleep Trophy match at Anantapur, captain Shreyas Iyer of India D overcame a dismal opening half to score an important half-century on Day 2. Iyer was instrumental in putting his team in a commanding position with his 54 runs off 44 balls, which included nine boundaries and a six.
His fifty would come as a huge confidence boost after a run of poor performances in the recent ODI series against Sri Lanka, where he scored just 23, seven, and eight runs in three innings.
Shreyas Iyer success in the Duleep Trophy could be crucial to regaining his place in the national Test team.
Since there is a busy Test season ahead that includes series against Bangladesh, New Zealand, and the much awaited Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia.
After a rocky start, India D’s comeback was greatly aided by the right-handed batter’s aggressive yet controlled innings. After openers Atharva Taide and Yash Dubey were dismissed early on, Iyer, along with Devdutt Padikkal, who made a strong 56 off 70 balls, helped calm the ship. Throughout his inning, the 29-year-old played with confidence and intelligence.
At the end of Day 2, India D had a 202-run advantage.
Given his recent problems in Test cricket, the Mumbai-born player’s performance becomes even more significant. Iyer has had difficulty securing a spot in the longest format despite having played in 14 Tests and scoring 811 runs with one century and five half-centuries. This Duleep Trophy success is especially important given his inconsistent play on the Test side, which is partially caused by injuries and partially by form.
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Harshit Rana and Axar Patel are still at the crease for India D, who finished Day 2 with a commanding 202-run advantage. They will look to build on this lead when they bat first the next day.
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