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Australia sledging motivated me, says India A batsman Shreyas Iyer
Shreyas Iyer struck an unbeaten 85 to revive India A against Australia on Day 2 of the three-day practice game and then said old sledging tricks by the visitors motivated him to do well.
Australians are known to indulge in sledging and India A batsman Shreyas Iyer got a dose of it during the second day of the warm-up match here on Saturday.
The in-form Mumbai batsman was batting on 85 at close, having raised a 50-run partnership with skipper Hardik Pandya to carry India A to 176/4 in reply to Australia’s first innings 469/7 declared.
Shreyas Iyer claimed he was targeted by Australia wicketkeeper Matthew Wade and star batsman David Warner during his knock. The 22-year-old, however, said the provocative words only motivated him to perform well.
“They started to sledge and said ‘this guy does not have defence, he can play only attacking shots’. It was first Wade and then Warner too joined in,” Iyer said at the end of the day’s play.
“But I am used to this type of sledging, having toured Australia with India A teams in the past.”
Read | Mitchell Marsh weighs in before Shreyas Iyer dominates Aussies in warm-up tie
Shreyas Iyer was happy with his performance on Saturday and is confident he will be selected to play for India if he continues to play well. “I don’t think much on that, I try to play and score as many runs as possible. The side is packed (at present), but I know I will get a chance definitely to play for the country,” he said.
Iyer praised Australian spinners, specially off-spinner Nathan Lyon, rating them higher that the Bangladesh tweakers he faced during a tour match in Hyderabad earlier this month.
“They are very good, especially Lyon, they don’t give much flight. They are a lot better than the spinners of Bangladesh. I had to come down the track to hit the big shots,” he said.
