A self awareness that belies his years and confidence but without a trace of arrogance is what you notice while talking to 20-year old Shreyas Iyer. With 610 runs from 11 innings in seven matches at an average of 61, he has been Mumbaiās leading run-getter until the last league game in his debut season. Iyer has emerged as a vital cog in the batting line-up which has been bereft of experience on most occasions in the 2014-15 season as the 40-time champions fight to book a place in the quarter-finals.
The figures that we read donāt however tell the whole story. The season didnāt begin all that well for the young lad. He got off to a poor start in his debut game against Jammu and Kashmir scoring 7 and 1 at the Wankhede Stadium, but turned things around for himself as the season progressed. And once promoted up the order at No 3 he also started scoring the big runs. Like coach Pravin Amre said, he is a quick learner and did the hard yards to change the course for himself as well as the side.
Asked about the responsibility that he has been shouldering in one of Mumbaiās toughest seasons while becoming the highest run-getter, Iyer said, āIt feels really good to be the highest run-getter in the team. I never thought that I would become one, so it is a wonderful feeling. And taking responsibility, I learnt in UK when I had done a tour there last year. I was alone there and had to take care of myself and from there I understood responsibility and stuff.ā
āI was the only professional player in that team so I had to take my team through. There was a lot of pressure on me over there and yes I carried that over here also so it has been really great till now,ā he added.
He has earned his coachās appreciation for the way he has worked his way ahead. āYou may have the skill and the talent but you have to convert on the big stage. It takes time for some. For him too it didnāt start well and had to go through failure. But after that he realised (his flaws and worked on it) so it was a good thing to happen. As coach I want that to happen sometimes as failure teach you more and he knew he had to push himself. That sense was there. He got scolding from me, and there was a chance of dropping him. Now what he has gained from that experience, it gives more value and I think thatās the reason he converted when he got chance again. He was not happy with a fifty and then he went on to get a hundred and tried to be there in the middle. I am happy that he has been able to transform. There are so many talented players there but not many convert when it comes to first-class cricket.ā
āWhat I like is his mental approach, the body language, the confidence. I can notice that this boy has a different confidence level and I think thatās a good thing and I think that will take him to the next level,ā says the Mumbai coach who has been coaching Iyer since his Under 13 days.
His knock against Baroda was one of the key factors in keeping Mumbai in the race. Reflecting on the match, Iyer said, āIn the first innings I got out early (25 runs), so the coach called me in his room and showed some of my videos and improved on my technique. He just made a bit of change in my batting and then in the second innings I went out and applied the same and made 90 runs.ā
āAs the coach, we are watching where he is slipping because we watch his backlift and all those things that are not correct. So I called him and explained to him why he was slipping, that is my job as a coach. And I canāt afford him slipping because he is the key run-getter for the side also,ā Amre says.
āHe really helped me a lot from the start of the season, really backed me. He always corrects me when I make a mistake,ā Iyer added.
Speaking about coach Amreās guidance he further said, āHe has been my coach since my Under-13 days. His advice is to be positive and play my natural game. If you get loose deliveries you punish those. He has really given me the freedom on the ground to play freely and show my talent, so there is no restriction on me.ā
He has it in him for the long haul. And Iyer is keen to play the long innings. Speaking about spending time at the crease he elaborates, āI used to visualise before the matches and it has really worked for me throughout this season and there are a lot of players in the team who have helped me in my fitness and visualizing.ā
The determination to stay at the crease has been inculcated in him from a young age. Besides Amre there have been other coaches of the stature of Padmakar Shivalkar, Sandesh K and Vinod Raghavan who have had a role in shaping the batsman. āWell they always used to say that you should have your feet on the ground and that has really worked for me. I mean there are a lot of people who achieve a lot at a young age and they start losing their feet from the ground (sic). These coaches are really ākhadoosā as you say and they keep us on the ground and scold us every time we make mistakes. You a learn a lot from them,ā he says while talking about their role in the player that he is today.
āKhadoosā is a quintessential characteristic of a Mumbai cricketer and you can catch a glimpse of that in this budding batsman. The burning desire to get to the next level and the clarity is evident when you converse with him.
āActually being in the U19 CWC really motivated me because I wasnāt in the playing eleven. I was there in the 15 but I didnāt get to play a game. It really burnt me inside as to why donāt I play in the 11? I am good. As in, I am not saying that I am the only good player, there are other talented players also in the team but I had to make a place in the team for sure so I really concentrated on that.ā
āWhen I play a tournament I am thinking ahead (of the next level). When I am playing in the Ranji Trophy, I am thinking of India A right now. I plan ahead and itās paying off which is really good.ā
It is a prestigious accomplishment to wear the Mumbai cap. āYes. I had really thought of playing for Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy this season. I had imagined that I will play and I was sure that I will play in the team. But depending upon the start I got, I thought that I will have to really work hard and I really worked with my team-mates and support staff and they really helped me a lot and it has definitely paid-off.ā
So how has the transition been from junior to senior level? āWell I have thought of playing in Ranji right from the Under-19 days and I told myself I definitely want to play Ranji this season. The positivity, the determination was always there and I used to go to sport psychologist, Mugdha Bavre. She has worked with me a lot on my mindset,ā he stated.
And all that structured hard work has helped him handle the pressure situations. āI donāt actually take pressure when I am at the ground. Nothing goes on in my mind. I keep playing,ā Iyer says.
His family too have played a significant role in guiding and supporting him. āThey have been supportive and never stopped me from doing anything. Also with regards to studies they havenāt put much pressure on me. I am an average student. I pass when I give exams, so they donāt worry about that,ā Iyer adds.
So where did it all start? āIn school,ā the youngster tells while going to elaborate, āI was in Dr Antonio Da Silva High School. I had to choose between cricket and football. I was really good in cricket at the time my father used to say. So I went for selection for both and was selected in both. Then my father asked me to choose one sport. And I started playing cricket. I was selected in SPJ as a fast bowler, fast-bowling allrounder so from there I transformed myself to batting and I started scoring more runs and I was playing as allrounder there.ā
āI was really confident on my batting at that moment but my coaches at that time used to think I am good in bowling. But as you know all fast bowlers love to bat but I was a pure batsman at the time, so I concentrated on that,ā he explains while talking about choosing his specialty.
While he continues to work on his skill, he isnāt shy of seeking advice. And he got an opportunity to discuss his game with former India batsman, Sanjay Manjrekar who is known for his batsmanship and had come to the Mumbai nets to share his experience with the batsmen. Sharing what tips he received from the former cricketer, Iyer said, āHe was talking about feet movement stepping out and stuff. He said that when you defend you need to stretch your groin and it should pain while defending. So when the ball is turning more you got to take out your feet more. You should use the crease, front foot and back-foot both ways.ā
While he idolizes no one, he is an awe of AB de Villiers. āI love to watch AB de Villiers batting and I copy his batting. No one can play like him I guess but I try to imitate his body language on the ground. He is not aggressive but the confidence, body language and walk is what I admire,ā says the aggressive Mumbai bat.
Asked to describe his own batting, he pauses and then says, āWell as everyone thinks I am an aggressive player, I am a stroke player so I think I am more of that. I love to play all my shots in the areas I love to hit the ball.ā
The cricketer also has a keen interest in other sports and still pursues Football and Table Tennis when he can. āI love to play football in my colony, there are many football players over there, in Adarsh Nagar Worli. We go and play there when I get time and I go to college (Podar College) to play Table Tennis. At the NCA I used to play TT when I would get time off.ā
While he has a long and winding road ahead of him, Iyer is a talent to watch out for as coach Amre puts it, āAbsolutely, he is a player to watch out for. This season will give him the confidence so that next year he will be more confident and remains same with his skill and mental approach.ā
Asked how coach would describe his ward, the youngster received a compliment when he was compared to the exciting Mumbai and India batsman Rohit Sharma. āI have seen Rohit Sharma in early days, I am not comparing his technique but the confidence. I feel he has the confidence and that spark of Rohit.ā
