Shreyas Iyer said about his Favorite Knock from the 2023 ODI World Cup

Shreyas Iyer is a cricket player on Team India. Mr. Iyer liked his game against Sri Lanka the most when he scored fifty runs. That game was in 2023 ODI World Cup, and it happened at Wankhede Stadium. Now he's preparing to play three  ODIs against England. Then, he will be ready for 2025 when there's the Champions Trophy. Iyer played a crucial role in India's dominant total of 357/8, scoring 82 runs at a blistering strike rate of 146.63, which included six sixes. His knock came at a time when there was mounting pressure on him to retain his spot in the playing XI.

"The 82 against Sri Lanka was special because there was a lot of talk about dropping me from the squad. Even though I had scored a fifty against Pakistan, the speculation around my place in the team put me in a helter skelter situation. That kind of talk fueled my determination," Iyer said during the Idea Exchange session with The Indian Express. India went on to register a commanding 302 run victory in that match, bundling out Sri Lanka for just 55 runs and extending their unbeaten run in the tournament. Despite a shaky start in the tournament, where he registered a three ball duck against Australia, Iyer made a strong comeback with two fifties and two centuries in the latter stages of the group phase, finishing with an impressive tally of 530 runs at an average of 66.25.

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Addressing the criticism he faced during the World Cup, Iyer admitted that external opinions could sometimes be frustrating. "It’s irritating, especially when people who have never faced deliveries at 150 km per hour give advice on how to play. But I understand that everyone has their opinion. They have the right to discuss, but they should keep it among themselves and not direct it at the player," he added. Throughout his career, Iyer has faced scrutiny over his ability to handle short-pitched deliveries. His frustration with constant questioning on the subject was evident during a press conference following his standout performance against Sri Lanka.

"The 82 against Sri Lanka. Because there was a lot of talk about dropping me from the squad, and that I’m not providing much for the team. Even though I had scored a 50 against Pakistan, there was some talk which put me in a helter-skelter situation. That kind of (talk) boosted my instincts from within," Iyer said during Idea Exchange (via The Indian Express).

Overcoming Injury Setbacks by Shreyas Iyer

Iyer got badly injured in his back while playing cricket in the Border-Gavaskar trophy. He even had to go to the hospital to undergo surgery in April 2023 to fix it. Because his back continued to ache, it was really tough for him, and it was the hardest moment in his job of playing cricket. He couldn't play in all the important IPL cricket games or the World Test Championship final because of his injury. "The toughest phase was my back injury. When I underwent surgery, I thought it would completely change my body. It was difficult to regain the same level of agility and fitness I had before. But after a year, I feel comfortable and strong, and I believe I can achieve what I intended to before the surgery," Iyer said.

"It’s irritating, especially when it comes from people, who haven’t faced 150 km per hour delivery, advising you to play in a particular way. But I would say it is their opinion. They have all the right to talk, but they can talk between themselves not to the player directly," Iyer added.

His road to recovery saw him return to the Indian squad during the 2023 Asia Cup, where he made an impactful comeback and contributed significantly to the team's success.As India prepares for the upcoming ODI series against England, Iyer will be keen to continue his good form and solidify his place in the squad ahead of the 2025 Champions Trophy.

"The toughest phase was my back injury. When I underwent surgery, I thought this was completely going to change my body. And it was kind of difficult to come back into the same zone and agility that I had before the surgery. After a year, now I feel very comfortable and I feel strong that I can do basically what I intended to before the surgery," Iyer said (as per the aforementioned source).