Shreyas Iyer has been India’s mainstay in the limited-overs format since the 2019 World Cup. He solved India’s number 4 issues with his consistent performances in the ODI format. However, the youngster faced a setback in March 2021 when he sustained a shoulder injury which ruled him out for 4 months. Due to his injury, Iyer wasn’t considered in the 15-man-squad as he hadn’t played much cricket. Although he was selected as a reserve player.
Iyer, who made his international debut in 2017, has represented India in 32 T20Is and 22 ODIs, scoring 580 at 27.61 and 813 at 42.78, respectively, while he is a veteran of 54 First-Class matches, having amassed 4592 runs at an impressive 52.18, including 12 centuries and 23 half-centuries.
Shreyas Iyer was handed his maiden test cap today by the legendary Sunil Gavaskar where an emotional Iyer kissed the cap after receiving it.
Very well deserved: Ponting on Shreyas Iyer making his test debut
Shreyas Iyer’s IPL coach Ricky Ponting, who has watched Iyer grow over the years shared a special message for him.
Lauding the young batter, Ponting quoted the BCCI video of Iyer’s debut cap ceremony on Twitter and wrote: “Having seen all the work you’ve put in over the last few years, very well deserved and only the beginning for you mate. Proud of you Shreyas Iyer.”
Having seen all the work you've put in over the last few years, very well deserved and only the beginning for you mate. Proud of you @ShreyasIyer15. https://t.co/Tnb3xZNXhX
— Ricky Ponting AO (@RickyPonting) November 25, 2021
The duo of captain Iyer and coach Ponting took the Delhi Capitals from the last position in IPL 2018 to a third-place position in 2019. In 2020, they bettered their performance and finished as runner’s up as Delhi made their maiden IPL final appearance in 13 seasons.
However, this year Iyer missed the first half due to a shoulder injury. As a result, Pant was handed over the captaincy of Delhi. Although Shreyas returned in the second half, Pant was retained as captain of the franchise. However, the Capitals failed to make it into their second final in a row, losing the first Qualifier to Chennai Super Kings, followed by the second to Kolkata Knight Riders.
As per recent reports, Iyer has been released by the franchise ahead of mega auctions before the 2022 IPL, which is set to be a 10-team affair with the addition of two new franchises – Lucknow and Ahmedabad. It is learned that Iyer wanted to resume the leadership duty from the next season, though the Capitals are looking forward to continuing with Pant at the helm.
Highlights:
• Shreyas Iyer makes his test debut against New Zealand in Kanpur
• Ricky Ponting shares a special message for Iyer on his debut