Indian batter and PBKS captain Shreyas Iyer has transformed himself into a consistent performer in T20 cricket, overcoming numerous challenges through persistent hard work behind the scenes. The change in his approach is clearly visible in the ongoing season of IPL, where he has genuinely played a key role in the team's relentless success, serving as the cornerstone of Punjab's batting unit.
He has guided the side to so many superb victories in this season with elegant performances, maintaining the team's unbeaten run. The most stark change in Iyer's batting has been his handling of short balls, for which he has been criticised a lot in the past. Now, opening up about criticism, Iyer stated that the constant criticism triggered him and led him to silence his critics.
“People said I would never fix my short-ball problem. That triggered me. I wanted to prove them wrong by performing well. So, I worked hard on it. Earlier, I would just take a single or try to keep the ball down. But now my mindset has changed. If I see a short ball in my zone, I am going to hit it for a six. I work with Pravin Amre. I have been with him since I was young. I also talk to coaches like Abhishek Nayar. We share ideas,” Iyer said on JioStar.
Iyer further explained how he understands the things and does not follow a fixed pattern.
"During my batting practice, I now try to play around 50 overs and face over 300 balls. That helps me understand what works for me. I don’t follow a fixed pattern. I give myself more time in the middle and face real bowlers, not just sidearm throws," he said.
“The more I face bowlers, the clearer my movement becomes. I focus on creating a rhythm. Just before the bowler delivers, I try to get into my position quickly. That creates a flow. You must have seen AB de Villiers do that. Even Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have that rhythm before playing their shots. I try to do the same," he added.