Shreyas Iyer played a vital role in India’s comfortable four-wicket win against England in the first ODI of the three-match ODI series in Nagpur. After the end of the match, he revealed one surprising story related to the match, as he was supposed to miss the ODI series opener. 

England captain Jos Buttler chose to bat first after winning the toss at the Nagpur ODI. Despite a strong start, as the English openers set a 75-run partnership for the first wicket in nine overs, England were suddenly struggling at 77/3. Although the skipper Jos Buttler and Jacob Bethell scored half-centuries, England managed to score 248 runs before losing their last wicket.

While all the Indian bowlers delivered strongly, Ravindra Jadeja and the ODI debutant Harshit Rana bagged three wickets each.

See Also: Ravindra Jadeja: The Only Indian Spinner with 600 Wickets and 6,000 Runs in International Cricket

Shreyas Iyer quickly changed the Nagpur ODI chasing condition 

In reply, Indian openers failed to provide solid starts as the ODI debutant Yashasvi Jaiswal (15) and the skipper Rohit Sharma (2) fell cheaply. Struggling at 19/2, Shreyas Iyer played a game-changing knock with his counterattack as the English bowlers had no clue to stop him.

Before Jacob Bethell dismissed him, Iyer scored a valuable 59 off 36 balls with nine fours and two sixes. He had a crucial 94-run third-wicket partnership with the Player of the Match Shubman Gill. Later, Gill and Axar Patel’s 108-run partnership for the fourth wicket guided the hosts to a comfortable four-wicket win with 68 balls remaining. 

Only during the toss, the Indian captain Rohit Sharma announced that Virat Kohli would miss the Nagpur ODI due to a right knee injury, which he sustained on the match eve. Yashasvi Jaiswal made his ODI debut along with Harshit Rana, which ended successfully for the hosts. 

I was watching a movie last night: Shreyas Iyer

After the end of the match, when Iyer was talking with broadcasters, he revealed that he wasn’t in the initial playing XI, and he only got the opportunity due to Kohli’s late injury. Last night, he was even watching a movie when the Indian skipper Rohit Sharma informed him of the possible inclusion in the playing XI due to Kohli’s late injury. 

Iyer said, "So, funny story. I was watching a movie last night, I thought I could extend my night, but then I got a call from skipper saying that you may play because Virat has got a swollen knee. And then hurried back to my room, went off to sleep straightaway."

Not only with his bat, Shreyas Iyer had an important role in England's first wicket down as the dangerous Phil Salt was run out after a big mix-up in the middle of the pitch.