Shreyas Iyer redeems himself after duck, keeps sunglasses intact and strikes first ball to dismiss Mayank Agarwal
Shreyas Iyer took a wicket off his first ball during the match against India A in Duleep Trophy.
Shreyas Iyer's ongoing outing for India D hasn't been according to plan. The side faced a defeat in the first match to India A, and even though Iyer did score a quickfire half-century in the second innings of the match, he wasn't selected for the first Test against Bangladesh. In the second round of the Duleep Trophy, Iyer walked out to bat with an unusual accessory – sunglasses – and was dismissed for a golden duck on the very first ball he faced.
It was a crucial opportunity for him to demonstrate his credentials as a Test player, but his early dismissal seemed to dim his chances. However, the Mumbai batter found a unique way to contribute later in the match. India A started their second innings in dominant fashion, racing to 115 runs in just 28 overs. It was at this point that Iyer, known more for his batting than bowling, decided to roll his arm over.
Introducing himself into the attack, Iyer struck gold with his very first delivery. He managed to dismiss the seasoned Mayank Agarwal, tempting the Karnataka batter into driving a slightly flighted delivery uppishly. Iyer’s sharp reflexes saw him taking a solid catch in his follow-through.
Watch the catch here
This wicket was Iyer's first in first-class cricket in nearly six years, his previous scalp being Saurashtra’s Chetan Sakariya back in 2018.
Iyer has had a rollercoaster of the year in 2024. He was snubbed from BCCI contracts earlier in the year for seemingly remaining unavailable for selection for his state side, Mumbai, in the Ranji Trophy. However, the 29-year-old batter made a blistering comeback for the team, playing a pivotal role in its title win. He then led the Kolkata Knight Riders to their third Indian Premier League title.
Following back-to-back successes, both with bat and as a leader in IPL, Iyer made his comeback in international cricket during the ODI series against Sri Lanka in August. However, he failed to make a return to the Test team, falling down in the pecking order to KL Rahul and Sarfaraz Khan. However, hope remains alive for Iyer as BCCI has only announced the squad for the first Test against Bangladesh.
A strong knock in the second innings of the ongoing second round at Duleep Trophy might still keep Iyer's chances for a Test return alive.
