On Monday in Visakhapatnam, Shreyas Iyer provided a classic example of making one’s own luck. Out of nowhere, he conjured a piece of fielding brilliance that broke the second Test against England wide open.
Ben Stokes was the last realistic obstacle between India and a series-levelling victory. The England skipper had yet to hit his straps, the potential for damage nestling within that power-packed frame wouldn’t have been lost on anyone.
Stokes is a livewire on the field, a compelling, athletic figure. But here, he was slightly dopey, setting off on a gentle jog when greater urgency was the need of the hour. Sensing a half-chance, Iyer raced to his right from mid-wicket and fired a throw on the run to clatter the stumps at the striker’s end and catch the talismanic Stokes short of his ground. England 220 for seven chasing 399, pretty much game, set and match India.
It was Iyer’s second significant contribution in the field. In the first innings, he had taken a stunning catch, running backwards from point, to eject the
Shreyas Iyer the batter needs to pull up his socks
Iyer’s primary role in the side, however, is as a specialist batter. It is there that he is required the most to pull his weight. And he will – or at least should – be the first to admit that he hasn’t done so in the five-day game for a while now.