Strong comeback: Shreyas Iyer impresses with Ranji Trophy century against Maharashtra

New Delhi: Indian cricketer Shreyas Iyer is determined to stage a comeback to the Test squad and has underlined the need to maintain focus on his performance. He stressed the significance of concentrating on factors within his control and delivering his best on the field. Iyer showcased his patience and resilience during his impressive century in the second round of the Ranji Trophy on Saturday, October 19, further bolstering his case for a return to the longer format of the game.

Iyer, who has been contending with a recurring back injury that required surgery in 2023, celebrated a significant milestone by scoring his first century in red-ball cricket since his Test debut three years ago. He achieved this feat during the second-round Ranji Trophy match against Maharashtra.

Iyer’s last first-class hundred prior to this was against New Zealand during the Kanpur Test in November 2021. As India faces New Zealand again in a Test series, he made sure to leave his mark by achieving this milestone, demonstrating that, even if not for the national team, he had something to showcase for Mumbai.

“It feels special, coming back after a very long time. I was feeling a bit down with my injuries, but now, getting a century after a very long time, it’s a great feeling overall,” Iyer told the media in Mumbai at the end of the day’s play.

“I am keen for a comeback, but as we say, control the controllable and my job is to keep performing and keep participating as much as possible and also see to it that my body is in the best shape,” Iyer added.

The 29-year-old, who has already played 127 international matches, was dropped from BCCI’s central contract earlier this year and played his last Test in February after which his back injury returned. He played in the ODI series against Sri Lanka but said that he still holds an immense desire to play red-ball cricket.

“Absolutely (the drive is still to play Tests). That’s why I’ve been playing. I mean, or else I would have given a reason and sat out,” Iyer said.

Opting to bat first, Maharashtra struggled and were bowled out for a mere 126 runs, with Mohit Avasthi and Shams Mulani both claiming three wickets each. In response, Mumbai’s innings was bolstered by Ayush Mhatre’s impressive 176 and Iyer’s solid contribution of 142, allowing them to amass a formidable total of 441 runs in their first innings.

At the close of play on Day 2, Maharashtra stood at 142/1, with Sachin Dhas contributing 59 runs and skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad remaining solid at 80 runs, both well-positioned to build on their innings.