New Delhi: Following his match-winning 83 against Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League (IPL), young Delhi Daredevils batsman Shreyas Iyer said he enjoys opening and is always up for challenges.
“At the moment I am really enjoying opening the innings. In the practice matches, I was batting at No.3 which is quite like opening. So it’s not a problem for me at the moment,” Iyer was quoted as saying by iplt20.com on Friday.
“I was really happy because I got the opportunity to take on the bowlers. It was difficult at the start to face the new bowlers but I am always up for challenges.”
The Daredevils beat the Mumbai-based team by 37 runs here on Thursday to end their nine-match losing streak on their home ground.
“It is a really, really good feeling to break the jinx of losing home games and I am really happy with the performance of the team,” said Iyer.
Instrumental in Iyer’s success is Daredevils’ assistant coach Pravin Amre, who has been grooming him since he was a 13-year-old. Amre has constantly been by Iyer’s side, trying to improve his game, giving him tips.
“He (Amre) has really been helping me throughout the tournament. Before every match we practice some techniques and skills which have been helpful,” said the 20-year-old.
“At the start he just asked me to leave the ball because if I commit to playing shots, I might not time (them well) at the start. So he asked me to get set and give myself the chance to charge at the bowler later on.”
Amre, meanwhile, praised Iyer, saying he was confident the young batsman could open the innings. “I really wanted Shreyas to do well simply because he has never opened before. I had that confidence that he can open in this particular format and so I convinced my head coach that he will do the job for our team,” Amre was quoted in iplt20.com.
“In the practice matches he had batted at No.3 and in one match he got a hundred. In that particular game, we were zero for two in the first over when he went in to bat and from there he got a hundred. So everybody was convinced he can play the new ball also.”
Amre has been grooming Iyer since he was a 13-year-old. “I am just pushing him hard. I am asking him to be there till the eighth over. Once you go in as an opener, you get that tendency to focus on only six overs. You go there and play your shots and get as many runs as you can. But I was pushing him to (be there) for two more overs,” the assistant coach said.
