‘Agar tune kal 100 maar diya…’ – Shreyas Iyer reveals what Shubman Gill told him before the start of Day Two

Team India’s Shreyas Iyer and Cheteshwar Pujara built up a stunning partnership of 149 runs for the fifth wicket on the first day of the first test against Bangladesh at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chattogram, played on December 14, Wednesday. Both of them looked set for their centuries but unfortunately for India, neither did, leaving fans disappointed. Pujara was bowled on 90 by Taijul Islam on Day One while Shreyas Iyer was bowled at 86 on the bowling of Ebadot Hossain early on Day Two.

Iyer missed the second ton of his Test career by only 14 runs. The Kolkata franchise skipper became the 16th Indian cricketer to score a century on his Test debut against New Zealand before the start of the 20-20 World Cup in Australia and recalled a piece of advice from his teammate Shubman Gill.

“I got a call-up right after the 20-20 World Cup for the series against New Zealand. The T20Is did not go as well as I had planned because I was coming to bat in the last 2-3 overs and I was getting out going for the big shots from ball one,” Iyer said

I had a feeling like it’s written: Shreyas Iyer

“Then I got selected for the Tests, which I wasn’t expecting at that time. The players were already there so even though I had performed to be there in the team I wasn’t expecting the call-up,” the Kolkata franchise skipper added.

“I was prepared in my mind that whatever will happen, I am going to take it heads up, I’ll be in my high spirits. I’ll take it like a boss. So I did my preparations well and ticked all the boxes before the game,” he said

Shubman Gill told me ‘agar tune kal 100 maar diya, toh aisa aisa hoga…(If you score a 100 tomorrow, different things will happen with you’ and all that. I don’t remember what we were talking about. And next day when I started, I had a feeling like it’s written. Then next day, I completed it in 2 overs by hitting four boundaries,” Iyer concluded.