Who is Shreyas Iyer and why will he miss his Lancashire stint?

India’s middle-order batsman Shreyas Iyer on Monday was ruled out of the upcoming Royal London Cup, where he was supposed to represent Lancashire. The 26-year-old required surgery on a shoulder injury suffered during India’s ODI series against England in March and has been recovering. 

“We are obviously very disappointed, as we were thoroughly looking forward to welcoming Shreyas to Emirates Old Trafford. Ultimately Shreyas’ long-term fitness is of paramount importance and Lancashire Cricket fully respects the decision,” Lancashire’s director of cricket, Paul Allott, said.

Also read: Delhi Capitals fans can’t keep calm as Shreyas Iyer hits nets after 100 days

Iyer is known for his composed hitting and usually comes in to bat at No 4. His fitness and form would be of utmost importance to team India as the T20 World Cup is only weeks away. 

Who is Shreyas Iyer?

Hailing from Mumbai, Shreyas Iyer was spotted by coach Pravin Amre at the Shivaji Park Gymkhana when he was 12. The right-handed batsman completed his graduation from the Podar College. 

Also read: 2nd ODI: India unchanged as Sri Lanka elect to bat first

Iyer was selected in the Indian squad for the U-19 World Cup in 2014. In three matches he scored 161 runs at a strike rate of 105. Iyer then was sent to play for the Trent Bridge cricket team in England. There he shot to the limelight by scoring 297 runs in three innings. 

Shreyas Iyer’s exploits in England translated into his performance in domestic cricket, especially the Ranji Trophy. In 2015, he was signed by IPL franchise Delhi Daredevils for Rs 2.6 crore, making him the highest-earning uncapped player in the tournament. He scored 439 runs in 14 matches, with a 33.76 average and a strike rate of 128.36 and was declared the Emerging Player of the season. 

Also read: England beat Pakistan by 45 runs in second T20, level series 1-1

Iyer made his ODI and T20 debut in 2017. 

In 2020, Iyer was named the captain for the Delhi Capitals. He led them to their maiden IPL final against the Mumbai Indians. The 26-year-old scored an unbeaten 65 off 50 balls in a losing effort as Mumbai Indians won the final.