How getting axed from BCCI’s central contract helped Shreyas Iyer become a better cricketer

Cricketers often get criticism for not evolving. Such is the grind of international cricket that most players don’t get the time to work on their game. Many players have even stated that getting dropped has worked out well for them. As in that away period, they upskilled themselves.

How Shreyas Iyer wrestled adversity to come out on top

This happened with Shreyas Iyer as well. Unlike others, he wasn’t exactly dropped from the India cricket team. Due to poor performance, he wasn’t included in the Test team. He already wasn’t part of the T20I for some time. But then some misunderstanding with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) saw him get axed from the 2024-25 central contract.

In most cases, a falling out of sorts with your cricket board would hurt you. Well, that wasn’t the case for Shreyas. Instead, he buckled down. Took his game to the next level and roared by becoming India’s best player in the title run at the ICC Champions Trophy.

“I kept my process simple. Tried not to overthink the situation and to continue doing my work honestly. I always had the belief that my performance and my sincerity would bring back the opportunity,” Shreyas told reporters in Chandigarh.

“It allowed me to learn a lot, reassess the situation, and prepare a routine to add additional skills to my armoury. Looking back, I am happy with the outcome, the way I managed the situation, and, importantly, my belief in my abilities,” he added.

It takes a village

Of course, he worked as hard as one could. He thanked his coach Pravin Amre, with whom he worked at Mumbai and Delhi Capitals. Shreyas also thanked his trainer, Sagar, who kept pushing him to new limits.

“Lots and lots of hard work went behind it. From my coach, Pravin Amre sir, to my trainer, Sagar, everyone worked around my needs. The two of them really helped me create the power and the force which you see in my batting now,” the Punjab Kings captain added.