CHENNAI: “Ignorance is bliss.” This is what Shreyas Iyer had to say when asked about the criticism of his technique against short-pitched deliveries after a 105-ball 87 in the first innings of the second Test against Bangladesh. Often, elite athletes, especially cricketers, say that they don’t heed to the comments from outside, calling it white noise.
Easier said than done. Especially, when it’s about short-pitched bowling. Unlike other technical difficulties, there is a fascination about how a batter handles the short-ball. It always makes for good drama on the field, irrespective of who's winning the battle. It is also something that could become a go-to tactic for any bowling attack against the said batter. Which is why if someone struggles against the short-ball, there is a very high recall value.
Since the time Shreyas made his international debut, it is something that has been associated with him. As much as he prefers to be ignorant, Shreyas didn’t fail to acknowledge it and work on it. But the most interesting thing about how a batter handles the short-ball is that often all the good things about them get overshadowed because of it. If it was Suresh Raina in the past, now it is Shreyas.
In 2022, the 28-year-old leads the ODI batting chart for India, is the second most run-scorer for India in Tests, and has the third best T20I strike rate (141.15) for an Indian batter with more than 400 runs. If one were to look for impact, in his seven-Test career (six in Asia), Shreyas has come in when the team had less than 140 on the board and has taken them past 250 five times. On Sunday, he came in at No. 8 with India reeling at 71/6. He remained unbeaten and, in the company of R Ashwin, took the team across the line, completing a 2-0 sweep.
It’s not just about the numbers though. For all the talk about “Shreyas vs short ball”, his dominance against spin doesn't seem to get the same kind of significance. While Indian batters playing spin has been taken for granted in the past, at a time when most of the top-order struggle against spin, Shreyas’ strength is almost invaluable for India. His Test average of 68.66 against spin is not surprising though. It is something he has done for years in first-class cricket before making his debut.
Shreyas built his reputation dominating bowling attacks, especially spinners, around the country. A first-class strike rate of 78.8 is testament to that. Ask Steve O'Keefe and Nathan Lyon what a 22-year-old Shreyas did to them back in 2017. Heck, ask his batting partner on Sunday, Ashwin, who has been on the receiving end of some scathing counterattacks in Ranji Trophy. It is what he does. It is what he is incredibly good at. And the thing about Shreyas is he makes the most of what he is good at far more often than missing out due to his weaknesses. Even when the focus is on what he could not or did not do than what he has so far.
This brings us to Ashwin. As a spinner from the sub-continent, all through his career, the argument around him has been about what he hasn’t done more than what he has. Whether his record in the SENA countries as a spinner, or the constant comparison with Lyon or if he would have succeeded as much if the pitches weren’t as helpful in Asia, the list goes on. What has he done? He is the second-highest wicket-taker in Tests for India. He is only the second Indian to have scored 3000 runs and taken 400-plus wickets in the format. He has the second-most player of the series awards (9), only two less than Muttiah Muralitharan. Not to mention the batting performances that have helped India win and save matches.
Granted, his Test batting dipped in late 2010s, but he has come back in that regard as well. Since 2020, Ashwin is the only one to have more than 500 runs and 60 wickets. Those are incredible numbers for a No. 8. For all the struggles he has had against quicks, Ashwin is one of the assured batters against spin. Whether it is Graeme Swann and Monty Panesar in 2012, Shane Shillingford in 2013, Adil Rashid in 2016, Lyon, Jack Leach and Moeen Ali in 2021, he has handled them with relative ease.
This Bangladesh tour has been no different. Two fifties and seven wickets in two matches even when he might not have bowled his best. It is fair to say that had Mominul Haque taken the catch when Ashwin was on 1, things could have turned out a lot different. Shreyas, too, had his share of luck through the series. But that, in no way, denies the fact that the two capitalised on it, putting India in a position of strength. They showed patience early on and once the Kookaburra ball became softer, they jumped on it. "If Shreyas was not the Player of the Series, I would have definitely shared this award with him, but he is, so I will take this home," Ashwin said after being named Player of the match. In the end, Shreyas wasn't the player of the series. Cheteshwar Pujara was.
For a team of their strength, resources and invincible record in the subcontinent, India struggled a lot in Bangladesh. With every match, it is getting clearer that they are heading towards a phase of transition across formats. While there are significant decisions to be made going forward, in Bangladesh and through 2022, both Shreyas and Ashwin showed why it might not be a bad thing to judge an athlete by what they have accomplished rather than what they couldn't.