Indian batsman Shreyas Iyer batted superbly once again under pressure to add a half-century score to his impressive debut ton at the Green Park in Kanpur on Sunday as the youngster achieved an incredible feat in Indian cricket. Iyer scored 65 off 125 against New Zealand in India's second innings of the opening Test.
With his knock on Sunday, Iyer became the first Indians batsman to score a century on debut and follow it with a half-century in the second innings of the same Test. Iyer's tally of 170 in the Kanpur game is now the third-highest score by an Indian on debut after Shikhar Dhawan's 187 (against Australia in 2013) and Rohit Sharma's 177 (against West Indies in 2013).
The record, but more so his knock, left cricket fans on Twitter mighty impressed as they hailed the ‘lone warrior’.
Iyer walked in when India were 41 for three in 14.5 overs on day 4 with both their senior batters Ajinkya Rahane (4) and Cheteshwar Pujara (22) back in the dug-out. New Zealand pacer Tim Southee made further inroads by dismissing opener Mayank Agarwal and Ravindra Jadeja in the same over to leave India 51 for 5 in the 20th over.
{{/usCountry}}Iyer walked in when India were 41 for three in 14.5 overs on day 4 with both their senior batters Ajinkya Rahane (4) and Cheteshwar Pujara (22) back in the dug-out. New Zealand pacer Tim Southee made further inroads by dismissing opener Mayank Agarwal and Ravindra Jadeja in the same over to leave India 51 for 5 in the 20th over.
{{/usCountry}}R Ashwin and Iyer looked to add some resistance with their half-century stand, but the veteran departed as well, scoring 20. Iyer and under fire Wriddhiman Saha then stitched a valiant 64-run stand to add some stability and take India's lead past 200.
Iyer eventually fell at the stroke of Tea, but India had extended their lead to 216 by then.