Shreyas Iyer reveals reason behind taking a break from red-ball format | Cricket News
Indian batsman Shreyas Iyer emphasised the importance of managing workload across formats to maintain intensity, particularly in red-ball cricket. Speaking after India’s two-wicket loss to Australia in the second ODI at Adelaide, Iyer explained how his approach to workload and technical adjustments have helped him stay consistent and confident.Earlier this month, Shreyas Iyer requested a six-month break from red-ball cricket due to concerns about his back, which was approved by the BCCI.
“When I field for long hours in red-ball cricket, I’ve realised my intensity tends to drop. At the international level, that can make a difference. In ODIs, you have rest days and time to recover, so it’s easier to manage. Based on that, I’ve planned my approach,” he said.Iyer also discussed the recent return to an upright batting stance, which he credits for boosting his adaptability across different surfaces.“The technique I’ve got lately is not something that I’ve changed suddenly. Since last year, I wanted to have an upright stance, especially on wickets where the bounce is a little more than expected. I worked with my coach on it, and it has been suiting me quite well. I grew up playing with that kind of stance, so I just thought of going back to my old method and seeing how it works out,” he explained.Highlighting the need to adjust according to conditions, the 30-year-old added, “Even in Mumbai, when we play on red-soil wickets with extra bounce, an upright stance helps. You have to keep chopping and changing because every surface is different. I’ve changed my stance several times now, and I feel I can adapt anywhere at the moment.”Reflecting on his 118-run partnership with Rohit Sharma against a challenging Australian attack, Iyer said, “Hazlewood was bowling brilliantly. The ball was seaming in and out, and it wasn’t an easy wicket to bat on at the start. We wanted to have an attacking approach but also rotate strike as much as possible. It was about ensuring we reached a total from where we could put pressure on the bowlers later.”Iyer also acknowledged Australia’s strong batting, particularly youngster Cooper Connolly. “I was fielding on the far end, so I couldn’t exactly tell when the wicket changed. But credit where it’s due — they batted superbly. They rotated strike well, and Cooper, especially being a youngster, showed a lot of maturity to finish off the game,” he said.On balancing domestic and international cricket, Iyer shared, “I don’t see much of a challenge. It’s about adapting to the conditions and being match-prepared. Domestic cricket gives you that confidence, and recently, the India A series also gave me a good boost before coming here.”
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Despite India’s defeat, Iyer praised the Australian bowlers’ effectiveness and discussed his progress since the Nagpur ODI against England. “It definitely hurts. The first game wasn’t convincing because rain played an important role and conditions favoured them. But this match was a do-or-die one for us, and we wanted to put our best foot forward. Losing early wickets made it difficult, and the Australian bowlers took full advantage,” he said.“I came from a domestic season where my average was around 300. When you have runs behind you, you walk into international cricket with confidence. Some things are in your control, some are not. My focus is to perform every time I step on the ground,” he added.
