India in West Indies | Playing for India not in my hands, have to maximise opportunities: Shryeas Iyer
India Today
India tour of West Indies: Shreyas Iyer said he has been enjoying batting at No. 3 for India in ODIs but stressed that selection is not in his hands when the first-choice stars return.
Vice-captain Shreyas Iyer said he is not thinking about his place in the Indian ODI side and that he is focused on putting in the hard yards off the field and maximising whatever opportunities that come his way. Shreyas Iyer is certainly doing so as the star batter has chipped in with two crucial fifties in India's wins in the ongoing ODI series against the West Indies in Port of Spain.
Shreyas Iyer has played 29 ODIs so far since making his debut in 2017 but the Kolkata Knight Riders captain is yet to cement a place in the side. Against England earlier this month, Iyer managed to play only 1 of the three ODIs as Virat Kohli has been a regular at No. 3.
However, in the absence of Kohli, Shreyas Iyer has made the most of the opportunity to bat at No. 3. Iyer stitched a crucial partnership with captain Shikhar Dhawan in the first ODI as India posted 308 and on Sunday, Iyer and Sanju Samson steadied India after they lost quick wickets in a successful chase of 312.
Shreyas Iyer hit 63 from 71 deliveries in his 99-run stand with Samson that laid the platform for Axar Patel to come in and finish the game for India. Axar struck 64 from just 35 deliveries as India completed the chase in the final over.
"Playing in the team is not in my hand. What I can do is train hard off the field and see to it that you know whenever I get the opportunity, I have to maximise it, and that's what I have been doing, Today (Sunday) and the day before yesterday, I got the opportunity to represent my country that I feel is bigger than anything. I gave my 100 percent, and when I left the field, I had no regrets," Shreyas Iyer told the press on Sunday in Port of Spain.
"Hard work off the field always pays off. This is the reflection of what you do off the field. I am working hard because wickets and conditions are changing frequently, and you have to stay fit and keep motivating yourself. My mindset is that I will do my work and try to control the controllable."
It was the third successive fifty-plus score for Shreyas Iyer against the West Indies in ODIs as the Mumbai batter continued his consistent run in the 50-over format of the game.
