'Flexible batting at any number' - Shreyas Iyer braces for middle-order audition
The batsman is coming off a productive series for India A in the Caribbean, and will compete with KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant for the No. 4 slot
Aishwarya Kumar in Port-of-Spain
10-Aug-2019
Shreyas Iyer prepares to bat in the nets • PTI
Shreyas Iyer, and his India team-mates, are looking forward to a full match in Port-of-Spain after the first ODI in Guyana was washed out after only 13 overs, with more at stake than would appear following a World Cup semi-final appearance.
Last month, rain had pushed India's World Cup semi-final against New Zealand into a reserve day, and Iyer hoped the weather wouln't wash away this series as well. It's particularly valuable that he gets some time on the field in the remaining two ODIs on August 11 and August 14 as India continue their ongoing attempts to try to solve their No. 4 puzzle.
India haven't had a chance to discuss the spot so far with the first match rained out, but Iyer said the team would experiment and give several players a chance. That could mean KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant and Iyer himself, over the next two matches.
"Personally, I am not thinking about batting only at No. 4," Iyer said. "I want to be someone who is very flexible batting at any number or if you go into any situation you should be able to grab that opportunity and make the best use of it."
When asked about switching to ODIs from T20Is, Iyer said India have the momentum going into this series coming off a 3-0 sweep.
"The way the team is playing currently, it's totally amazing," he said. "If one doesn't perform, the next one raises his hand and he takes the responsibility to take the team through and this is what has been happening throughout the year."
Rain interrupted India's Saturday training session in Port-of-Spain, forcing them to train indoors. But despite the lack of enough practice, Iyer drew confidence from his India A stint in the Caribbean, where he was the third-highest run-getter in the one-dayers with 187 runs in four innings.
"It's going to be another two opportunities for me to make the best use of it," Iyer said. "Hopefully this also doesn't rain off. We are hardly getting any net practice. I am eager to go out there and carry forward the momentum which I got from my India A matches. Looking forward to a good series finish."