World Cup 2023: This is the stage where you play for the team – Shreyas Iyer on missing out on personal milestone

Indian batter Shreyas Iyer has shed light on his impressive knock of 82 runs against Sri Lanka at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on Thursday. Iyer came into the match after being under the pump for his place in the team but he came out firing after Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill added 189 runs for the second wicket alliance.

The right-hander raced to a 36-ball fifty and played attacking shots from the get-go. The local lad scored 82 runs from 56 balls with the help of three fours and six maximums but he was dismissed while trying to play another aggressive shot.

Iyer revealed he was not going to play for his personal milestone in the 47th over when quick runs were the need of the hour.

Shreyas Iyer said in the post-match press conference, “See, this is the stage where you play for the team. You don’t play for your individual performance. We definitely discuss about missing out on centuries or half centuries, but going forward, say if we are put in the same situation, I would have to go after the bowlers, right? If I’m batting in the 47th or 48th over, I won’t be thinking.”

Iyer gave credit to Dilshan Madushanka for outsmarting him and returning with a five-wicket haul for the Islanders.

“I was sighting the ball pretty well. It’s just that I missed out on that particular ball. It was a little away from my body and Madhushanka was bowling brilliantly. The way he bowled with the new ball and also, he came in varying his pace, bowling slower ones here and there,” he stated.

Iyer is hopeful of scoring a century in the upcoming matches and he isn’t majorly disappointed to miss out on the individual milestone.

“Talking about our performances, we definitely discuss, and a few balls here and there, I could have got to 100. But nonetheless, there are a few more matches to come. And hopefully, I’ll be able to get one,” Shreyas asserted.

The Mumbai batter admitted it was difficult for him to recover from a back injury but he stayed positive during his rehab with the help of trainers and physios.

“Yes, it was a difficult ride to come out of an injury, especially in terms of fielding. I wasn’t able to move as I used to before. But the trainers and the physios, they worked pretty hard on me, especially in terms of recovering after the games, because 50 overs, it takes a lot of toll on your body,” Shreyas said.

Team India will next take on South Africa at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata on Sunday.