Shreyas Iyer said Team India need to “introspect” their performance in the first ODI.
Shreyas Iyer stressed that Team India posted a commendable total on the board, but "a few things didn’t go their way" and that led them to facing a massive seven-wicket defeat in the first ODI against New Zealand at Eden Park in Auckland on Friday (November 25).
After being invited to bat first, India posted 306/7 against New Zealand, thanks to fine fifties from Iyer (80), Shikhar Dhawan (72) and Shubman Gill (50). However, the target was not enough as Kane Williamson (94*) and Tom Latham (145*) smashed the Indian bowlers by stitching an unbeaten 221-run fourth wicket partnership to take the Black Caps over the line with 7 wickets in hand on Friday.
With the victory, New Zealand took a 1-0 lead in the three-match ODI series against India, with the second ODI set to be played on Sunday (November 27) in Hamilton, and Iyer said that the 'Men in Blue' will make a stronger comeback with new ideas in the next match.
Shreyas Iyer said in the post-match press conference: “The situation we were in and from there to reach 307 is a commendable total. Definitely, some things didn’t go our way today but it’s a learning curve, we can introspect, comeback with new ideas in the next game.”
The right-handed batter added, “It’s not easy to directly come from India and play here. Wickets keep on changing in every place and this is a challenge which you need to face. You have to be mentally strong, just have to adapt to the situations.”
Hailing Latham and Williamson, Iyer said: “Both of them (Latham and Williamson) played fantastic knocks. They knew which bowlers to target at a specific time. I believe their partnership completely changed the scenario of the game and that was a crucial phase for us to get wickets.”
He continued, “If we would have got one wicket we would have been under their skin and the situation could have been completely different. But kudos to them that they found the strength to convert those loose balls into boundaries and sixes. They were fearless in their approach and I feel that’s what helped them.”
The way Latham took over that over (40th), I think that completely shifted the momentum towards them. He wanted to come in and he wanted to build that partnerships. Since they have been playing together for so many years so they know their strengths and weaknesses pretty closely.”
Speaking about his own innings, Iyer said: “Approach is always optimistic. I don’t like to think much about the future, whatever is in my hands I do and try to live in the present. Players will come and go but consistency is what is going to matter. Ups and downs are in everyone’s career, there is nothing called stable. When people are talking outside, I just like to be in my zone and that’s what helps me.”
He concluded, “The learning from this match is that when we got a wicket we could have created more pressure. If we could have curbed Latham’s start definitely we would have been on top of them.”
(With PTI Inputs)