"I intentionally ran up to him" - Shreyas Iyer's huge revelation on first interaction with RCB star as a ball boy

Star India batter Shreyas Iyer recently recounted his first meeting with former New Zealand and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) player Ross Taylor. This happened when Iyer was a ball boy during the IPL’s first two seasons in 2008 and 2009.

On Sunday, September 7, iQOO India released a YouTube podcast featuring Shreyas Iyer as the guest. During the conversation, Iyer shared his admiration for Taylor and described how he first met him as a young ball boy, saying:

“I really liked Ross Taylor. So, during the first game when the fireworks went off, the particles from the fireworks fell all over the ground. We had to go and pick them up. I intentionally ran up to him so that I could say hi. He shook my hand, and then I went back while picking up the fireworks debris.”

The 30-year-old also revealed that before he began playing in the IPL, Mumbai Indians (MI) was his favourite team, as he hails from that state. Iyer said:

“Mumbai Indians, obviously being from Mumbai, I used to support Mumbai. At the start of the IPL, in the first and second seasons, I was a ball boy. So when we played Under-14 for Mumbai, all the players who participated in the Mumbai Under-14 team were also ball boys. That’s when I got to meet a lot of cricketers.”

Shreyas Iyer led Punjab Kings (PBKS) to the IPL 2025 final in his first season with the franchise. He also had an impressive season with the bat, scoring 604 runs in 17 innings, including six fifties.

---

“It’s frustrating” - Shreyas Iyer shares insight into players’ mindset when left out

In the same conversation, Shreyas Iyer was asked about the mindset of players and how they cope when left out of the squad. The Mumbai batter responded:

“It is only frustrating when you know that you deserve to be in the team, in the playing XI. At that time, it’s frustrating. But at the same time, when you know that someone is performing and playing consistently for the team and bringing their best, you support them. And eventually, the goal is for the team to win. When the team is winning, everyone is happy.”

“But as I keep talking about integrity, even if you don’t get a chance, you have to make sure that you do your work ethically. It’s not like you do it only when someone is watching. Even when no one is watching, you have to keep doing your work," he added.

Iyer was recently left out of India’s squad for the 2025 Asia Cup, set to begin on September 9. The omission of the right-handed batter surprised many experts, as he had been in impressive form in recent times.