IND vs NZ LIVE: Shreyas Iyer- After a determined batting performance against New Zealand in yet another innings, Iyer credited head coach Rahul Dravid for his special show at Kanpur. The former India captain, who played 31,258 deliveries during his special Test Career, got the best out of Iyer in his debut. Notably, Iyer played 171 and 125 balls during his knocks of a century and fifty. Follow India vs New Zealand LIVE updates on InsideSport
“Rahul Sir had told me to bat as many balls as possible and I was determined to do that. We felt that 250 including the first-innings lead would have been a good score, so we’re very happy with where we are now. Actually, not a lot was happening with the wicket today, the ball was keeping a bit low. The talk was to get to a competitive total and I feel that it’s a really good total. We have real spin power, so hopefully, we can get the job done tomorrow,” he said.
IND vs NZ LIVE: Determined Shreyas Iyer says, ‘Rahul Dravid Sir told me to bat as many balls as possible’
Iyer said that his strategy while playing against New Zealand was to focus on the ‘present’ and play as many balls as possible.
Team India found themselves on top after Shreyas Iyer and Wriddhiman Saha showed grit and determination with the bat to help hosts fight back against New Zealand on Day 4 of the ongoing first Test here at Green Park, Kanpur on Sunday.
“I had been in this situation before as well, not with the Indian team but with my Ranji team. The mindset was to play the session and play as many balls as possible. I wasn’t thinking too far ahead, was just focusing on the present. (On being the first Indian to score a ton and a fifty in debut Test) Yeah, I knew about it. When I came back, one of my teammates told me about it. Yeah, many others have done it from other teams but I was told I am the first from India. It feels good but the most important thing is to win the match,” Shreyas Iyer told host broadcasters Star Sports after the Stumps on Day 4.
IND vs NZ LIVE: Iyer opens up on late declaration- Coming to the match, on the cusp of stumps, Team India declared their second innings at 234/7d, giving the visitors the target of 284 to win the match. For hosts, Wriddhiman Saha and Axar Patel remained unbeaten with innings of 61* and 28* respectively.
At stumps, New Zealand’s score read 4/1 with Tom Lathan (2*) and William Somerville (0*) currently unbeaten at the crease. Ravichandran Ashwin scalped the lone wicket of Will Young in the last session of Day 4.
The declaration may have come a tad too late owing to the team management’s assessment of the Green Park pitch as unresponsive but debutant Shreyas Iyer backed his spinners to secure an Indian victory on the final day of the opening Test.
India declared their second innings at 234 for seven, having extended their overall lead to 283 runs on the fourth and penultimate day of the match.
“The talk was to get to a competitive total and I feel that it’s a really good total. We have real spin power, so hopefully we can get the job done tomorrow. We have spin power.
“We have to have faith in our spinners and know they can really put them under pressure on the final day,” Iyer said.
The Mumbai batter though added that the team would also have been content with anything above 250.
“I thought 250-odd including the lead was more than enough on this wicket, and fortunately we got some more.”
IND vs NZ LIVE: Determined Shreyas Iyer says, ‘Rahul Dravid Sir told me to bat as many balls as possible’
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(with ANI and PTI inputs)
