Shreyas Iyer reveals the reason behind taking a break from red-ball format
Shreyas Iyer reveals the reason behind taking a break from red-ball format. And this is not just a whim or fatigue; behind this step lies a sober calculation and an understanding of one’s own capabilities. Imagine: long hours on the field, endless concentration and tension, and you feel your sharpness and drive gradually fading. This is precisely what Iyer has faced in Test cricket.
Shreyas Iyer reveals the reason behind taking a break from red-ball format: burnout
“When you spend long hours on the field in red-ball matches, I realized my intensity tends to drop,” the player admitted. “At the international level, such small things can cost a team a victory. Do you agree that it’s difficult to give it your all when your strength is running low?” Unlike Test matches, ODIs have rest days and recovery time, making it easier to manage your form. So, it turned out to be a conscious choice in favor of one’s own effectiveness.
So his break from Test cricket isn’t an escape from difficulties, but a strategic pause, the step of a mature athlete who knows the value of his energy and is ready to make sacrifices to remain the strongest in the format where the team needs him right now.
Back to the roots
Yes, Shreyas Iyer reveals the reason behind taking a break from red-ball format, but how then to stay on top? Iyer found the answer in his past. He returned to his old, straight stance. And it wasn’t a momentary decision, but a well-thought-out move. “The technique I acquired recently wasn’t something I suddenly changed. Since last year I wanted to get back to the upright stance. I’ve been working on it with my coach, and it suits me perfectly,” he explained. Simply put, he didn’t reinvent the wheel but returned to what had been ingrained in him since childhood. Sometimes, the tried and true turns out to be the best solution.
This technical nuance isn’t just a theory. On the field he now plays like a good partner. Just remember his 118 runs with Rohit Sharma against a formidable Australian attack. ” Hazlewood served absolutely brilliantly. The ball was moving in and out, and hitting it at the start was difficult,” Iyer recalls. “We wanted to play attackingly, but at the same time not forget about single runs. It was a balance between risk and common sense.”
Despite their personal successes, India ultimately lost the match. And Iyer, with his usual respect for his opponents, pays tribute to the Australians, especially the young Cooper Connolly. ” I was in a far position, so I can’t say exactly when the wicket changed. But to give them credit — they batted superbly, rotated the strike really well, and Cooper, especially for his age, showed incredible maturity to carry the game to victory.”
However, the defeat did not break his confidence. Where does it come from? From home fields and fair cricket. “I came from a domestic season where my batting average was around 300. When you have that kind of reserve behind you, you approach the international level with a completely different mindset,” Iyer asserts. “Some things are within your control, and some are not. My job is to give it my all every time I step onto the field.” And looking at his results, it’s hard to disagree, his approach works.
