"From BCCI Fiasco to Captaincy: Shreyas Iyer's Redemption Song"

 Shreyas Iyer's Redemption and Captaincy Journey

Shreyas Iyer’s popularity has soared in the last two months. As a batter, he performed well. But he truly shined as a captain.

To say the last four months have been eventful for Shreyas Iyer is an understatement. ‘Eventful’ for the spectators, if not for the 29-year-old himself.

Kolkata Knight Riders' head coach Chandrakant Pandit and captain Shreyas Iyer celebrate the team's victory in the Indian Premier League 2024, at MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai (ANI)

Iyer was expected to be a key player in India’s five-Test home series against England. Known for his skill against spin, England brought two uncapped players, Shoaib Bashir and Tom Hartley, a third (Rehan Ahmed) who had played just one Test, and the experienced Jack Leach, who got injured in the first game.

From BCCI Fiasco to Captaincy: Shreyas Iyer's Redemption Song

Despite some key absences like Virat Kohli and KL Rahul, and an inexperienced middle order, selectors had to drop Iyer for the last three Tests. This was due to his poor performance, scoring only 83 runs in the eight previous Test innings.

Iyer watched from the sidelines as fellow Mumbaikar Sarfaraz Khan had a great debut, Shubman Gill and Ravindra Jadeja performed well, and wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel showed his talent. With Kohli and Rahul set to return, his chances of an immediate comeback seemed slim. The only relief was that India’s next Test series wasn't until September.

Instead of returning to first-class cricket for Mumbai, Iyer cited a long-standing back issue, which almost ruined his 50-over World Cup plans last year. The medical staff found nothing wrong with his back, but Iyer insisted otherwise. Rumors suggested he couldn’t play freely off the front foot, and his back stiffened after 20 or 25 balls.

Angered by his decision to skip the Ranji Trophy and join Kolkata Knight Riders before IPL 2024, the decision-makers dropped him from the BCCI’s centrally contracted players list on February 28. This showed that ignoring domestic cricket had consequences. A regretful Iyer returned for the final against Vidarbha, scoring 95 in the second innings, but the damage was done.

The IPL offered him a chance at redemption. Iyer had missed the last edition due to his back injury, which required surgery. Now back, he had something to prove. He found an ally in Gautam Gambhir, who returned as a mentor to the franchise he had led to titles in 2012 and 2014. This collaboration led to a third IPL title for KKR, which Iyer called ‘invincible’ before receiving the trophy on Sunday night.

Iyer’s status has risen in the last two months. As a batter, he had a good rather than exceptional run, often batting late due to the strong performances of Phil Salt and Sunil Narine. Still, he scored 351 runs from 239 balls, with a strike rate of 146.86, maintaining the team’s momentum. Narine (488 runs), Salt (435), and Venkatesh Iyer (370) were consistent and powerful; Iyer supported them well.

Sweet Redemption: Shreyas Iyer's Journey After BCCI Fiasco

It was as captain that Iyer truly excelled. Leading a bowling attack of Mitchell Starc, Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, and Varun Chakravarthy might seem easy. However, Starc conceded 100 runs in his first two games, Chakravarthy had a poor previous season, and Iyer had two inexperienced Indian quicks, Vaibhav Arora and Harshit Rana, to manage.

His management of the bowling resources was excellent. Starc, a rhythm bowler, needed confidence from the team. Iyer provided this support and also encouraged Arora and Rana to focus on taking wickets rather than just containing runs. His aggression was subtle but clear in his body language, field placements, and clear instructions to his bowlers.

Iyer is now one of only eight men to lift the IPL trophy in the last 17 years. Whether this will lead to further leadership roles remains to be seen. His first goal is to regain his Test spot; everything else is a bonus. For now, he will enjoy his well-earned success. Why not?