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Shreyas Iyer says no dropping new plans despite first T20I setback
India vs England: Iyer said the pitch offered variable bounce early on and made it difficult to play the shots.
India’s plans to bat more aggressively, with an eye on the T20I World Cup they are due to host at home in October-November, flopped in the first attempt on Friday as England quicks ran amok and they could not even reach the 125-mark, losing the opening game of the series by eight wickets on Friday.
India lost three top-order wickets in the powerplay while attempting big shots. Barring Shreyas Iyer, who top-scored with 67 batting at No. 5, none of the other batsmen could make an impact as England won comfortably. The result won’t force the hosts away from their freshly drawn plans for the next matches, Iyer said. The second T20I of the five-match series is on Sunday.
“It will definitely not change. You see the batting line-up we have and the power-hitters down the line. We really don’t have to change anything, to be honest,” Iyer said at the post-match press conference.
“We have come with a plan and we need to execute it as much as possible. Going into the World Cup, we need to see to it that we have ticked all the boxes. We have to try this as much as possible. This is a five-match series, so it’s a perfect time to try out different stuff and see whatever suits us.”
Iyer said the pitch offered variable bounce early on and made it difficult to play the shots. Those conditions were exploited by the England fast bowlers. Iyer, the Delhi Capitals captain, usually bats at No. 4 for India, but came in at No. 5 after Rishabh Pant.
“Coming into Indian team, you have to be very flexible in terms of what position you will be batting. I haven’t made any changes, it’s just the mindset, what number you are batting and what the team requires at that particular time,” Iyer said. “I am in no sort of pressure to perform. I am playing freely, happily and enjoying my innings.”
Archer’s injury concern
Jofra Archer spearheaded England’s pace attack with the wickets of KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya and Shardul Thakur, finishing with 3/23. But concerns over a dodgy elbow he has nursed since the preceding Test series have forced him to not look too far ahead in a year that has the Ashes and the T20 World Cup.
“I need to take care of my elbow first before I think about what is going to happen,” said Archer, who was rested for two of the four Tests. “For me, in the immediate, I want to get through this series and then I will do everything in my power to make sure I’m going to the World Cup and the Ashes.”
Archer has been part of England’s rotation policy to make life easy amidst the bio-bubble restrictions. He was rested for England’s Test series against Sri Lanka before coming to India.
“I came to them (the medical team) during the Test series and said it (my elbow) was not feeling right. I didn’t have to say it twice, they automatically jumped on it and started making plans. We are all on the same page,” the 25-year-old said.
