In his 10th IPL season, Shreyas Iyer was on 90 off 38 balls in his debut match as Punjab Kings captain, aiming for his first IPL century. However, despite a blistering strike rate of 230, he faced only four balls in the final three overs and remained unbeaten on 97. His focus, however, wasn’t on the milestone but on the team’s success. Shreyas, aware of Shashank Singh‘s big-hitting ability, told him to go for boundaries. Shashank did just that, smashing six fours (five in the final over) and two sixes, finishing with 44 off 16 balls. During the innings break, Ravi Shastri asked Shashank how he felt knowing Shreyas was left stranded on 97.
Honestly, Shreyas told me from the very beginning, “Shashank, forget about my century and just play your game. Just focus on playing your shots and finishing the game strong.’ I really appreciate the way he communicated that to me before the final over,” he said.
After hearing Shashank’s response, Shastri subtly critiqued players who place more emphasis on individual achievements than on the needs of the team. Praising Shreyas for his mindset, Shastri remarked, “That’s the right approach in a team-oriented game.”
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Though Shastri didn’t name anyone, his comments seemed to hint at Virat Kohli’s focus on personal milestones. After Shashank shared Shreyas’ selfless approach, a viral video resurfaced from IPL 2019, where Kohli, on 96, asked Marcus Stoinis to hold up for a double to keep the strike and complete his century. Kohli eventually reached the milestone with a boundary. He also faced criticism for prioritizing personal records during the 2023 ODI World Cup against Bangladesh.
Shreyas, on his part, expressed his happiness in contributing to the team’s strong start to the 18th IPL season. “Scoring 97 not out in the opening match of the season feels like the perfect way to kick things off. I hit a four off my first delivery, which got me into a good rhythm. That six off Rabada’s delivery was also a highlight. The 44 runs Shashank scored in 16-17 balls were extremely important for the team. We set the tone and made sure to go for the win,” he added.
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