Returning to an upright batting posture, according to Shreyas Iyer, has given him more self-assurance and consistency, which has improved his ability to adjust to a variety of domestic and international circumstances.
After India lost to Australia by two wickets in the second One-Day International in Adelaide on Thursday, Iyer claimed he had spent the previous year improving his technique and had made the decision to go back to his more upright stance from his early days.
“The technique I’ve got lately is not something that I’ve changed suddenly. Since last year, I wanted to have an upright stance, especially on wickets where the bounce is a little more than expected,” Iyer, who stroked 61 off 77 balls, said after the match.
“I worked with my coach on it, and it has been suiting me quite well. I grew up playing with that kind of stance, so I just thought of going back to my old method and seeing how it works out,” he added.
Iyer claimed that one of the key components of his game has evolved into the ability to modify his stance based on the situation.
“Even in Mumbai, when we play on red-soil wickets with extra bounce, an upright stance helps. You have to keep chopping and changing because every surface is different. I’ve changed my stance several times now, and I feel I can adapt anywhere at the moment,” he said.
Iyer, who shared a pivotal 118-run stand with Rohit Sharma, stated that their goal was to gain ground against a well-organized Australian attack on a difficult surface.
“Hazlewood was bowling brilliantly. The ball was seaming in and out, and it wasn’t an easy wicket to bat on at the start. We wanted to have an attacking approach but also rotate strike as much as possible. It was about ensuring we reached a total from where we could put pressure on the bowlers later,” he added.
In retrospect, the Mumbai batsman acknowledged that it got easier to bat later in the day, but he gave the Australians credit for managing the chase well.
“I was fielding on the far end, so I couldn’t exactly tell when the wicket changed. But credit where it’s due — they batted superbly. They rotated strike well, and Cooper (Connolly), especially being a youngster, showed a lot of maturity to finish off the game,” he said.
Iyer discussed the difficulties of switching between formats and juggling tasks both domestically and abroad, saying that it all comes down to maintaining rhythm and energy.
“I don’t see much of a challenge. It’s about adapting to the conditions and being match-prepared. Domestic cricket gives you that confidence, and recently, the India A series also gave me a good boost before coming here,” he said.
The 30-year-old commended Australian bowlers for effectively taking advantage of the conditions, but acknowledged that the team was disappointed after losing the series.
“It definitely hurts. The first game wasn’t convincing because rain played an important role and conditions favoured them. But this match was a do-or-die one for us, and we wanted to put our best foot forward. Losing early wickets made it difficult, and the Australian bowlers took full advantage,” he said.
Iyer reflected on his journey since the Nagpur ODI against England earlier this year, saying that he felt confident enough to handle obstacles on the international stage because of his excellent domestic performances.
“I came from a domestic season where my average was around 300. When you have runs behind you, you walk into international cricket with confidence. Some things are in your control, some are not. My focus is to perform every time I step on the ground,” he said.
Iyer added that he is now more aware of the need to manage his workload and keep up his intensity across formats.
“When I field for long hours in red-ball cricket, I’ve realised my intensity tends to drop. At the international level, that can make a difference. In ODIs, you have rest days and time to recover, so it’s easier to manage. Based on that, I’ve planned my approach,” he added.
