India’s limited-overs middle-order batsman Shreyas Iyer funnily remembers how he ran-out a batsman in a Test match in 2017, despite not yet making a debut in the longer format.
Talking with Ravichandran Ashwin on his YoTube show, ‘DRS with Ash’, Iyer reveals that when Australia toured India for a 4-match Test series, he came on as a substitute fielder. In the 4th Test match in Dharamsala, he ran out Steve O’Keefe as a substitute fielder in the first innings.
Captain, Virat Kohli was on the bench after suffering a shoulder injury, and hence Iyer came on the field as a substitute fielder. India won the Test match by 8 wickets. The hosts, after losing the first match, came back to win the second and fourth Test match and grabbed the series 2-1.
“I was there in 2017 itself. But I have got one run out. Even I didn’t make a debut. But still, I got a runout. So that’s like an achievement for me. This was against Australia in Dharamshala. You were also there. Virat had this shoulder issue and I had come as a replacement,” Iyer said.
First priority was to play Test cricket: Shreyas Iyer
Shreyas Iyer has nearly cemented his place in the limited-overs side as a number 4, and if not for any horrible dip in form, he will play at that position in the upcoming ICC tournaments. However, the Mumbai-born batsman had Test cricket as his first priority.
Since Iyer has a staggering record in the domestic circuit – an average of 52 in first-class cricket with a best of 202* – he expected to play in the whites for the national team earlier. Although he isn’t in the current Test squad for the Australia series, the right-hander is ready to grasp any opportunity.
Shreyas Iyer adds, “Obviously. My first priority was to play Test cricket when I started playing cricket. And, my first-class record has been really amazing so far. I always played attacking cricket in domestic but, yeah, I haven’t got the opportunity.”
The 25-year-old led the Delhi Capitals to their maiden IPL final, where they lost to Mumbai Indians. In his 21-ODI career, Iyer averages 44 at a strike rate of 100.
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