Shreyas Iyer, after taking over as the captain of the T20I side, has grown into the role in the last few months as he guides a young and fearless Indian team in their build-up to defending the ICC Men’s
T20 World Cup title in two years’ time. Ahead of India’s five-match T20I series against the West Indies, Iyer opened up about the mindset he wants from his players, his approach to batting, and his conversations with young Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.
Captain Shreyas’ ahead of India’s T20I series against the West Indies, Captain Shreyas Iyer shared the mindset and approach he wants from his players:
“We want players to be more liberal, more expressive in terms of being fearless out there and not restrict their instincts. Because when you curb your instincts, your natural abilities are not portrayed out there. So, I feel that we have to back ourselves more than what the expectations are from outside. Because as a team, you know what is going on inside the team, what kind of mindset players are around. So, through thick and thin, you’ve got to support each other and see to it that when the tough time comes, everyone has got each other’s back.”
On his role with the bat and approach he wants to adapt:
“I love to play the situation. If I’m going into bat in the powerplay, I want to capitalise on the field restrictions which you have in the powerplay. So, I am someone who likes to go against the bowlers when the chips are down, because that’s when the offensive game comes in. That’s my mindset that has been right from the start, since the time I started playing for Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy. And once I get in, I see to it that I create a platform for the batters coming after me. And if I keep continuing, then I know I can take down the bowlers left, right, and centre.”
On how he goes about his innings while batting:
“I check around the field and see what kind of tactics they are plotting against me. Sometimes bowlers, they love to bluff and they like to get on top of you. They get aggressive at the start, especially in the one-day format. They want wickets. And even if I would be fielding as a captain or a vice-captain, I would be wanting wickets, so I would be right into the batsman. So that’s when I love to capitalise on that, to shift the momentum towards me and see to it that I am playing the ball, I am playing the field, I am manipulating everything around me.”
On young Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and the conversations he has had with him:
“I keep interacting with Vaibhav in terms of what he does outside the field, because everyone talks to him about cricket, and we know how talented and gifted as an individual he is. So, just to talk about his lifestyle outside, that interaction, knowing about his family, what he does, what not, that excites him more because he’s more of himself when he talks about it. And a very silent guy, but on the field, is very destructive. So, that’s like an irony when you look at him. He’s a very charming, sweet guy to interact with and good to have him around the dressing room. And I know that his time will come, because we have been playing with World Cup-winning openers right now, and they deserve the time out there and he’s still in the 15. So definitely, when his time comes, he is going to dominate Indian cricket.”
On why winning the series comes ahead of experimenting:
“The most important thing for me is to win the series, and then we can experiment with the playing combination. Experimenting from the start doesn’t make sense because then the players also get insecure, and then they start questioning themselves, questioning others around the dressing room. And then they go in that dilemma phase where they feel like, ‘Will I get a match ahead or will I not get one?’ I don’t like that mindset. I’ve been in that mindset in the past, and I know how it feels from inside.”
