Shreyas Iyer begins new chapter with old stance in Australia

Shreyas Iyer believes that going back to a more upright stance has helped him counter extra bounce. He has used this "new" stance - adapted from one he used in the past - in domestic cricket, against Australia A, and now, in the ODI series in Australia. While India scratched around on a seaming pitch in the second ODI in Adelaide, Iyer negotiated the tough spells, scoring 61 off 77.

Iyer's game against short-pitched bowling at high pace has always been a talking point. Not part of India's Test or T20I sides, Iyer spent the time off working on his game to counter extra bounce. "Since last year, I wanted to have an upright stance [for conditions] where the bounce is a little bit more than expected," he said.

"And based on that, I worked with my coach and we developed this new technique, and it was kind of suiting me pretty well. And the way I grew up playing, it was very much that I predominantly had an upright stance, and I just was like, 'Let's go back to my old technique and see how it, you know, [holds] up.'

"So, yeah, I backed myself and then, from there on, I started [trying the technique] in the domestic [games]... Till now, I've been continuing with the same stance."

Iyer grew up batting with this upright stance, but perhaps the back injuries he has battled made him make changes. "Even in Mumbai, when we play on red-soil wickets - where the bounce is a little bit extra than expected - I think it helps with the upright stance," Iyer said.

"And yeah, you've got to keep chopping and changing every now and then, because you don't play on the same wickets [all the time]. Whatever the wicket demands, you've got to change your stance accordingly, and I think I've changed so many stances [that] I'm able to adapt anywhere at the moment."

Iyer last played for India during their undefeated Champions Trophy campaign in the UAE in March. Since then, he has played the IPL, two first-class matches, and then captained India A in the three one-day matches against Australia A. At some point during this break, he reached the conclusion that his body, at the moment, is not supporting his first-class cricket, prompting him to request the BCCI for a six-month break from red-ball cricket.

"When I played red-ball cricket after the IPL, I realised that if I field for long spells on the ground, my intensity starts to go down. And the intensity that you need to maintain in international cricket, I wasn't able to match up to it. In ODIs, you know you will get rest after one day and be able to recover. Not in Tests. That is why I made that call, and conveyed that message."