Indian batsman Shreyas Iyer explained that returning to an upright batting stance has helped him regain confidence and consistency, allowing him to adapt more effectively to different conditions at home and abroad. After India’s two-wicket defeat to Australia in the second ODI, Iyer said he had worked on his technique in the past year and decided to return to the more upright stance he used during his formative years.
“The technique I’ve acquired recently is not something I’m going to change suddenly. Since last year, I wanted to have an upright stance, especially on wickets where the bounce is a bit more than expected,” Iyer, who scored 61 off 77 balls, said at the post-match press conference. “I’ve been working on it with my trainer and I’m quite comfortable with it. I grew up with that attitude so I thought I’d go back to my old method and see how it works,” he added.
Iyer explained that being able to adjust his stance according to the conditions has become an important part of his game. “Even in Mumbai, when we play on red clay wickets with extra bounce, an upright stance helps. You have to keep cutting and changing because every surface is different. I’ve changed my stance a few times now and I feel I can adapt anywhere at the moment,” he said.
OFF vs. INDIAN, 2nd ODI Highlights | Scorecard
Iyer, who shared a key 118-run partnership with Rohit Sharma, said they focused on building momentum on a challenging surface against a disciplined Australian attack.
“Hazlewood bowled brilliantly. The ball was moving in and out and it was not easy to bat early on. We wanted to have an attacking approach but also rotate the strike as much as possible. It was about getting a total from where we could put pressure on the bowlers later on,” Iyer said.
Reflecting on the match, the Mumbai batsman admitted that the batting became easier later in the day but credited the Aussies for handling the chase effectively.
“I was coming on at the far end so I couldn’t tell exactly when the wicket changed. But credit for that – they batted brilliantly. They rotated the strikes well and Cooper (Connolly), especially as a youngster, showed a lot of maturity to finish the game,” he said.
On the challenges of switching between formats and balancing domestic and international orders, Iyer said it’s all about maintaining rhythm and intensity.
“I don’t see a big challenge. It’s about adapting to the conditions and being ready for the match. Domestic cricket gives you that confidence and recently the India A series also gave me a good boost before I came here,” he said.
The 30-year-old admitted the team was disappointed after the series loss but praised Australia’s bowlers for making good use of the conditions.
“It definitely hurts. The first match was not convincing as the rain played an important role and the conditions were in their favour. But this match was do-or-die for us and we wanted to give our best. Losing early wickets made it difficult and the Australian bowlers took full advantage of that,” he said.
Reflecting on his journey since the Nagpur ODI against England earlier this year, Iyer said strong domestic performances have given him the confidence to tackle international challenges.
“I have come from a domestic season where my average was around 300. When you have runs behind you, you go into international cricket with confidence. Some things are under your control, some are not. I focus on performance every time I step on the ground,” he said.
Iyer also said he has become more aware of managing his workload and maintaining intensity across formats.
“When I train for long hours in red-ball cricket, I realized that my intensity tends to drop. At the international level, that can make a difference. In ODIs, you have rest days and recovery time, so it’s easier to manage. I’ve planned my approach around that,” he added.
– The end
Issued by:
Saurabh Kumar
Published on:
October 23, 2025
