Shreyas Iyer at Idea Exchange: ‘The calmer you are on the field, the wiser you feel from within’

During the auction, we were in Hyderabad, watching it from our rooms and I was expecting a good amount. But I never thought that I would exceed a point and there would be so much competition between two teams over me. Overall, I was thrilled. After a certain point, I shut the door, went into the washroom and I was like, I don’t want to listen to what’s happening.

Devendra Pandey: It was believed you’d be retained by KKR because you were a successful captain. What happened?

Certainly, I had a fantastic time winning the championship at KKR. The fan following was outstanding, they were electrifying in the stadium and I loved every moment I spent there. So obviously, we had a conversation straight after the IPL championship. But for a few months, there was a layover and no concrete effort in having a retention talk. I was perplexed about what’s happening. So, because of a lack of communication, we came to a situation where we parted ways, mutually. And that’s the long and short of it.

Devendra Pandey: Were you disappointed because you gave your heart and soul, though it wasn’t in your hands.

Yes, obviously disappointed, because when you don’t have a certain line of communication and if you get to know things one week prior to the retention date, then obviously something is lacking over there. So I had to take a call. Whatever is written is supposed to happen. But other than that, I would just like to say that the time I spent over there with Shah Rukh Sir, the family, all of them, was phenomenal. And obviously, winning the championship was probably an integral part of my life.

Devendra Pandey: How have your interactions with Shah Rukh Khan been?

We all know Shah Rukh sir, he’s a heartthrob and people go bonkers whenever they look at him. He’s got this certain zest when he walks into the room, that energy, that vibration. And he’s a dominant figure, obviously. I got to learn a lot from him. He is very kind and generous in nature. And probably that’s what makes him pretty unique as an individual. I love his confidence level and self-belief about the team the most. It was surreal.

Devendra Pandey: Do people misjudge you because you have always been straightforward in your communication and has it backfired ever?

My journey has been a roller-coaster ride but I personally feel I’m not going to change for anyone. If they don’t understand me, they don’t understand me. I am myself, I call a spade a spade. I don’t like to beat around the bush and if I make a point, I’ll make it straight away, to your face. If someone feels bad then let it be but that is me and that’s how I’ve grown up to be. Whenever you guys say that I have a lot of attitude and arrogance, it’s not that I do it on purpose but that’s my personality. I am a bit reserved but I have opened up a bit and try to understand the other person as well. It’s never my intention to hurt anyone.

Devendra Pandey: What’s the talk back home on money and investments? Do they stop you from spending?

I come from a conservative family, basically my Dad says, save money but my mom says, bindaas udaana because it’s hard-earned. I feel one has to multiply money and not make wrong investments. If something makes you happy, do it, don’t have second thoughts.

Devendra Pandey: Are you still fond of shoes?

I still like them and I love to give them to any cricketer who can’t afford it. I come from a lower-middle class family and my parents have supported me through thick and thin. They never made me realise that we are short of money. I have seen that whenever I have given something, be it bat or gloves to a player, they do very well. Right now, Suryansh (Shedge) is playing with my bat. I’m sure there are others too who do it.

On interactions with KKR | For months, there was no effort in having a retention talk. we decided to part ways, mutually. If you get to know things one week prior to the retention date, then obviously something is lacking

Sandip G: Your favourite World Cup knock?

The 82 against Sri Lanka. Because there was a lot of talk about dropping me from the squad, and that I’m not providing much for the team. Even though I had scored a 50 against Pakistan, there was some talk which put me in a helter-skelter situation. That kind of (talk) boosted my instincts from within.

I wanted to just give my 110 per cent. And in that game, I decided that I would just back my instincts and go full throttle. No looking back. I’m impressed by the way I played in that game. I became my own fan after that. It was a game-changing innings, especially in the World Cup.

Sandip G: Does the outside chatter about weaknesses, especially from people who have not played the game at this level, affect you?

Yeah, it’s irritating, especially when it comes from people, who haven’t faced 150 km per hour delivery, advising you to play in a particular way. But I would say it is their opinion. They have all the right to talk, but they can talk between themselves not to the player directly.

Sandip G: In the World Cup, you adopted different trigger movements at different times. Can you shed some light on that?

It is important that you adapt according to the situation. You don’t have the same wickets all the time. There is variable bounce on certain wickets. On a certain track, you need to chop and change a little bit with your stance. Not your grip that much, but with your stance and your trigger movements. I have practised a lot on that. It’s not only on the field, but also whenever I’m in my room, I always have a bat and I see to it that I shadow practice. That, if the wicket is like this, I’m going to play in a certain way. I have a set mindset, like, okay, this is how I’m going to play on that particular wicket. If it doesn’t work, it doesn’t work. But I went out there with a plan. You might not execute it every time.

On play strategy | We strategise off the field as well about how to go against a certain player. on the field, it’s all about execution, about being calm and communicating with the captain and the players

Nihal Koshie: Why did you decide to learn magic tricks and did you fancy yourself as being a PC Sorcar?

Straight after my under-19 World Cup, I got this opportunity to play club cricket in England. And I went to this place called Clifton Village while staying in Nottingham, in the meadows. I made a few friends there but my English wasn’t that great. I couldn’t communicate properly. I was low on confidence. And I wanted a way to connect with people and mesmerise them through my actions. I thought magic could be a great icebreaker. I had a lot of time in between my matches. So, Saturday- Sunday, we used to play a game. And then the whole week, we would rest. So, in that period, I learnt some skills. Scrolling through YouTube, I found this magic trick video. I started learning the trick, got a deck of cards and just started practising. And from there on, I picked up this hobby of learning magic tricks. And then when you show it to people, the expressions and reactions you get, are more satisfying than the tricks.

That is what you wait for, the reaction. And then suddenly, you start having a conversation with them. So, I just used it as an
icebreaker. There are a lot of variations in it. It’s a skill which you can never master. Very similar to cricket.

Nihal Koshie: What would be your advice for Yashasvi Jaiswal, who is in form, and Prithvi Shaw who has fallen down the pecking order?

Both are exceptionally talented players. The way they time the ball, it’s pleasing to the eyes. Prithvi Shaw also started on a great note. He’s got a great blessing of timing the ball and scoring runs at a great pace. And all of us in the team feel that he is blessed with that phenomenal talent. So, he just has to focus on his work ethic and everything else will follow. He’s God gifted. Yashasvi Jaiswal, on the other hand, knows exactly what he’s doing. And he knows his standing at the moment. So he doesn’t need any advice. He’s a strong personality. He believes in himself a lot. And he’s very competitive in nature. So, whatever he’s doing at the moment, he just has to focus on that. And obviously, sky’s the limit for him.

Anil Dias: How are Kolkata crowds different from Mumbai crowds?

I haven’t played for Mumbai Indians in the IPL so I don’t know how the crowd behaves. But since I’ve played for KKR, I would say they are very loyal. And they would support you to the core. In home games, they shower unconditional love on you. You win or lose, it doesn’t matter. They will be there for you till the end. And they are hell-bent on supporting you. But they have a legacy and history where they support the team, just like any other football team.

Anil Dias: Have you sought any help from baseball swings to improve your power hitting?

Yes, I have seen a lot of videos on YouTube on how you basically get the shoulder and hip separation. That has helped me a lot in terms of power hitting. It plays a vital role, especially in T20s where you switch your gears and try to accelerate at any given point.

On his trigger movements | You don’t have the same wickets all the time. There is variable bounce on certain wickets. On a certain track, you need to chop and change a little bit with your stance. Not your grip, but your stance and your trigger movements

Vinayakk Mohanarangan: Is the impact player rule helpful or sometimes confusing? Is it taking all-rounders out of the game?

I won the championship with KKR. So, it was absolutely helpful for us (smiles). I do feel it is taking the all-rounder aspect out of the game. But also at the same time, I feel that you have to strategise accordingly. Teams have to think. It’s not that you just come out with an XI and you play. You have to see to it that you’re using right players at the right time. And how you use depends completely on the coach and the captain. There’s a lot of brainstorming, chopping and changing since this rule came in. You have to be resourceful, the more panic and chaos you create here and there, it becomes difficult.

Vinayakk Mohanarangan: What has been the toughest phase in your career? Were there self-doubts?

The toughest phase was my back injury. When I underwent surgery, I thought this was completely going to change my body. And it was kind of difficult to come back into the same zone and agility that I had before the surgery. After a year, now I feel very comfortable and I feel strong that I can do basically what I intended to before the surgery. Yes, there were self-doubts. I played Asia Cup and World Cup straight after that.

It’s not easy to come out after a surgery. My body wasn’t reacting the same way on the field. And I could literally feel it, especially while fielding. Batting was okay. But while fielding, I wasn’t 100 per cent. But I was patient. I knew that if I give myself some more game time, I will get there. My body was suited for white-ball cricket at that point of time, after the surgery. So, for longer format, it took me a while to develop that kind of intensity and stamina to sustain on the field for four days.

Tushar Bhaduri: Have Indian batsmen taken a big leap in strike-rates in both Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and in IPL?

Yes, absolutely. The impact player rule has completely changed the mindset of all batsmen. And even though we didn’t have that rule in SMAT, still that perception of all the players is to go out there and basically excel from ball one. And when you have that kind of belief, even if you just strike from ball one, it kind of gives you that boost that you can take on every delivery. And you know that you have got great depth in the batting line-up, so the players can come in and basically go bonkers from ball one. That is something that has boosted a lot of batsmen’s confidence going forward. And the change is obviously inevitable. You can’t control the emotions of the batsmen. And if you feel, personally as a batsman, that you can take on any bowler, you just go for it.

Tushar Bhaduri: You have worked with strong individuals in the coaching staff, like Ricky Ponting and Gautam Gambhir. How much strategising, decision-making and actual captaincy is done off the field compared to on the field?

We do a lot of team meetings, we do strategise off the field as well about how to go against a certain player. And on the field, it’s all about execution. It’s about being calm. It’s about having communication, with the captain and the players. The calmer you are on the field, the wiser, I would say, you feel from within. So that’s what we majorly focused on in the 2024 IPL. That even if we go for runs, it doesn’t matter. But there is always, as a bowling unit, a time or a phase when you can come back, you can get wickets and basically turn the momentum towards us. And communication is a key point over here, which we kind of focused on a lot. And that helped us in terms of strategising as well.

Tushar Bhaduri: Can you explain what Abhishek Nayar brings to the table as support staff and how he helps bring out the best in players?

Abhishek doesn’t talk to the players much about their mindset. He just tries to make each and every one comfortable around him. And he tries to gain knowledge about the background they come from, their mindset, how they react in a given situation. And culminating all these factors, he tries and executes certain things while practising with them. So, I think that’s his forte as a coach.

And whenever he gives you a point, or whenever he tries to improve something in your skills, he won’t be hell-bent towards changing your technique or anything. He would let you be yourself. And he would let you enjoy the sport more than thinking or overthinking about a particular point. And that’s one of the best things about him that makes him a bit different from other coaches.