Shreyas Iyer became the16th Indian batter to score a hundred on Test debut, joining a list of illustrious names that includes the likes of Gundappa Viswanath, Sourav Ganguly among others.
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India batter Shreyas Iyer dedicated his century on Test debut to his parents, saying they have been pillars of support, backing him through ups and downs in his professional career. The 26-year-old Mumbai batsman was rewarded for his consistent performances in limited over formats with a Test cap in the first of 2-Test series against New Zealand in Kanpur. Iyer grabbed the opportunity with both hands as he hit a dominant ton, becoming the 16th Indian batter to score a hundred on Test debut, joining a list of illustrious names that includes the likes of Gundappa Viswanath, Sourav Ganguly among others.
“My dad, he obviously loves Test cricket the most and to give him this gift a century would be the best achievement for me and also for him as well as a father. It is a great feeling for both of us and my mom and dad, they have been really supportive throughout my journey and they have been the pillars of my success so far,” Iyer said.
Meanwhile long before his Test debut, Iyer’s coach Pravin Amre had set a condition that the former India batsman would come for dinner at his home only if he scores a Test century.
Amre had told him that he would “only come to your place for dinner if you score a (Test) century”. Amre himself had scored a century on his Test debut against South Africa in 1992 and he has been coaching Iyer.
“So after today’s game, not game, basically after today’s century, I’ll message him and invite him for dinner,” Iyer said.
“Pravin sir obviously, whenever I go for training, he keeps on saying that you have achieved a lot in your life, you have been the captain of an IPL team, you have scored so many runs, this and that, but that was in white-ball cricket.
“But your main achievement would be when you receive the Test cap and I am sure he would be really happy when I received it,” he added.
“I received a lot of messages and all were saying that this is an achievement and this is the best thing you have achieved in life and it took me back to my Mumbai cricketing days, it is a good feeling,” Shreyas Iyer said.
India who batted first, posted a total of 345 on the back of Iyer’s century and half-centuries from Shubman Gill and Ravindra Jadeja. In response New Zealand got onto a flying start as both of their openers Tom Latham and Will Young hit half-centuries.
Young scored 89 off 214 balls before being dismissed by Ravichandran Ashwin. Umesh Yadav struck the big fish Kane Williamson (18) immediately after India opted for the second new ball as the Black Caps reached 197/2 at lunch on Day 3 in Kanpur.
Although Axar Patel has dismissed Ross Taylor (11) and Henry Nicholls (2) while Latham is edging closer to a three-digit score, staying not out at 95.
