"I don't like to remain under pressure when the ball turns like that" - Shreyas Iyer on his approach in the 2nd Test vs SL

Shreyas Iyer has spoken about his approach while tackling the spinning ball on the tricky Bengaluru surface in the pink-ball Test against Sri Lanka.

Iyer scored two half-centuries in the Bengaluru Test, following up his 92 in the first innings with a 67-run knock in the second essay. He was duly chosen as the Player of the Match for his game-defining performances with the bat.

During an interaction on Star Sports, Shreyas Iyer was asked about being amongst the runs on a tricky pitch. He responded:

"I don't like to remain under pressure when the ball turns like that so I wanted to take a single and see from the non-striker's end how the other person is playing. But at the same time, I came at a position where I had to build a partnership."

The middle-order batter pointed out that he was looking to step down the wicket to negotiate the spinners. Iyer explained:

"It was an extremely tricky wicket at the start on the first day. It was taking spin and there was variable bounce, it was up and down, so I had thought that it would be a very good option if I step out and play on this wicket. So my mindset was that I will play attacking and rotate the strike as well.

Iyer became the first Indian batter to score half-centuries in both innings of a pink-ball Test. He was unlucky to miss out on a century in the first innings by just eight runs.

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"There hasn't been too much change in my mindset" - Shreyas Iyer

Shreyas Iyer has made an excellent start to his Test career [P/C: BCCI]

Shreyas Iyer was asked if there has been a change in his mindset since his debut in Test cricket. He replied:

"To be honest, there hasn't been too much change in my mindset. When I came back after injury, my only thinking was that I have to make a very strong comeback, that I have to do better than the good series I had before my injury because I was feeling very strong at that time and backing my strengths. I did not have the consistency at the start but once I got it, I started to maintain it."

The new Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) skipper was also asked if he would want the Sri Lankan players to play in IPL 2022, considering the success he has enjoyed against them. Iyer responded:

"I had a set preparation and routine, and things fall into place when you follow your routines. Thankfully, the series went well for me and I have to maintain the same momentum in the IPL as well. Different role, new team, it's going to be challenging."

Shreyas Iyer was the Player of the Series in the three-match T20I rubber against Sri Lanka. Although he got dismissed for 27 runs on a slightly easier Mohali surface in the first Test, he made up for it with his twin fifties at the Chinnaswamy Stadium.