How critics made Shreyas Iyer solve his short-ball issue: Wanted to prove them wrong
Shreyas Iyer said criticism over his short-ball weakness pushed him to improve as the PBKS captain opened up on fixing the issue and becoming one of IPL's best finishers.
For a long period of time in his international and IPL career, Shreyas Iyer seemed to have a short-ball problem. It seemed like a short ball would have his name on it, and many felt that it would be the reason behind Shreyas' downfall.
He solved the issue during the ODI World Cup 2023 and has now become one of the most effective players of the pull shot. This was evident during the win against MI at the Wankhede when he pulled Jasprit Bumrah for a towering six. Speaking on JioStar’s ‘Believe’ to Irfan Pathan, Shreyas said that he was triggered by the constant criticism around his short-ball issue and wanted to prove people wrong.
“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," said Shreyas.
The PBKS skipper also said that he tries to face close to 50 overs during batting practice and is focused on creating a rhythm for himself by facing real bowlers.
"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. 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," said Shreyas.
"I give myself more time in the middle and face real bowlers, not just sidearm throws. 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.”
RISE OF THE CHASE MASTER
Along with overcoming his short-ball issue, Shreyas has also become one of the most dependable finishers in the IPL. In his last seven innings while chasing, Shreyas has hit five fifties.
The PBKS skipper said that he finds finishing to be fun and plans to keep himself at the crease for longer and capitalise on the platform provided by Prabhsimran Singh and Priyansh Arya at the top.
“I want to stay not out and finish off the game Because the fun of finishing is different. So, I tell myself that the longer I stay till the end, the chances of winning will increase, and the team will also benefit. At the same time, the contribution from the youngsters and the openers, who have been giving us phenomenal starts, is very important, especially when we are chasing 200-plus scores," said Shreyas.
"If you look at the matches that we have won batting second this year, and last season, they set a platform for us. Then, for me to go in, and capitalize on that start, a kind of belief comes from within, that if they have given a good start, I can easily take over from there. And even if they didn’t, I would have to create a different scenario in my mind.”
Shreyas will be in action next when PBKS face RR in Mullanpur on April 28.
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For a long period of time in his international and IPL career, Shreyas Iyer seemed to have a short-ball problem. It seemed like a short ball would have his name on it, and many felt that it would be the reason behind Shreyas' downfall.
He solved the issue during the ODI World Cup 2023 and has now become one of the most effective players of the pull shot. This was evident during the win against MI at the Wankhede when he pulled Jasprit Bumrah for a towering six. Speaking on JioStar’s ‘Believe’ to Irfan Pathan, Shreyas said that he was triggered by the constant criticism around his short-ball issue and wanted to prove people wrong.
“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," said Shreyas.
The PBKS skipper also said that he tries to face close to 50 overs during batting practice and is focused on creating a rhythm for himself by facing real bowlers.
"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. 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," said Shreyas.
"I give myself more time in the middle and face real bowlers, not just sidearm throws. 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.”
RISE OF THE CHASE MASTER
Along with overcoming his short-ball issue, Shreyas has also become one of the most dependable finishers in the IPL. In his last seven innings while chasing, Shreyas has hit five fifties.
The PBKS skipper said that he finds finishing to be fun and plans to keep himself at the crease for longer and capitalise on the platform provided by Prabhsimran Singh and Priyansh Arya at the top.
“I want to stay not out and finish off the game Because the fun of finishing is different. So, I tell myself that the longer I stay till the end, the chances of winning will increase, and the team will also benefit. At the same time, the contribution from the youngsters and the openers, who have been giving us phenomenal starts, is very important, especially when we are chasing 200-plus scores," said Shreyas.
"If you look at the matches that we have won batting second this year, and last season, they set a platform for us. Then, for me to go in, and capitalize on that start, a kind of belief comes from within, that if they have given a good start, I can easily take over from there. And even if they didn’t, I would have to create a different scenario in my mind.”
Shreyas will be in action next when PBKS face RR in Mullanpur on April 28.
IPL 2026 | IPL Schedule | IPL Points Table | IPL Player Stats | Purple Cap | Orange Cap | IPL Videos | Cricket News | Live Score
