"It's something you dream as a kid, to represent your country at the biggest stage" - Shreyas Iyer on his exclusion from T20 World Cup 2022

Team India batter Shreyas Iyer recently opened up about his omission from the national main squad for the T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia.

The Mumbai-born player could only make it to the standby list for the tournament, along with the likes of Ravi Bishnoi and Mohammed Siraj. He was also not part of the main squad for the T20 World Cup 2021.

Middle-order stalwarts like Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, Deepak Hooda and Dinesh Karthik were selected over the right-handed batter. Iyer held an average of 35.62 at a strike rate of 141.16 in T20Is in 2022, but that was not enough to warrant him a spot.

He began 2022 on a bright note by claiming the player of the series award in a three-match bilateral series against Sri Lanka, featuring at No. 3. However, a blip in form - which included a poor set of series against South Africa and West Indies - meant that he once again missed out on the squad for the major tournament.

Admitting that he was disappointed at not having made the cut, Shreyas Iyer told the Hindustan Times in an exclusive interview:

"It was disappointing. It is something that you dream as a kid, to represent your country at the biggest stage. Winning it for the team is also something which gives you the chills.

"But it was not that I was completely demotivated. I didn’t let that get into my mind. I was just doing my things right. I focused on myself. I took a break, went and played domestic cricket. It gave me more time to elevate my skills."

Iyer's T20I numbers were not up to the mark in the away series against New Zealand after the World Cup. However, he has been on point in the other two formats, seizing his spot in the middle order just in time for the upcoming crucial ICC events in 2023.

Describing how he uses criticism from people outside the circuit as well as the opposition on the field to his benefit, Iyer said:

"The talk that goes on outside tend to motivate me, get the best out of me. The more people talk about me, I listen to it and soak in the pressure. I tell myself I need to prove them wrong. That’s how I approach whenever I bat in the nets, or in the match. It acts as a kind of motivation.

"Even when I am playing against opposition who are chirping, I like to give it back because I feel it gets my rhythm going; it lifts me, makes me focus a lot."

The Mumbai-born batter will next be seen during the upcoming three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka, beginning on January 10. He was not selected for the T20I series against the Dasun Shanaka-led side, and has been on a break since the end of the Bangladesh tour.

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"My eventual goal is also to play in the World Cup, along with the WTC final" - Shreyas Iyer

Having already had a landmark year in 2022, becoming the leading run-scorer for India in the 12-month span, Iyer could go one step further by playing his first ICC event.

A series win over Australia in March could place India in the World Test Championship (WTC). And Iyer could lock in on his No. 4 position in ODIs should he keep up his imperious form, thus making his way into the squad for the ODI World Cup 2023.

Asserting that he intends to represent India at both major ICC events in 2023, Iyer said:

"Definitely, it is going to be big. It’s not far away. I will have to see that I perform consistently to get my place. My eventual goal is also to play in the World Cup, along with the WTC final. I’d like to keep doing my preparations right to see to it that I achieve whatever I plan."

India are currently placed second in the WTC standings, behind Australia. They still have four Tests to play against the Pat Cummins-led side on home soil in the February-March window prior to IPL 2023.

The Men in Blue have qualified for the ODI World Cup as they are scheduled to host the tournament in ten months time.

Could Shreyas Iyer work on his game to become a long-term all-format player for India in the near future? Let us know what you think.