Shreyas Iyer has made a case for himself as a permanent middle-order batter in Test cricket. On March 13, Iyer became the first Indian batter to score fifty-plus runs in each inning of a pink-ball Test. Overall he became the fourth batter to achieve the rare feat.
Iyer fell short of a well-deserved century in the first innings. He scored 92 runs off 98 deliveries batting with lower-middle order batters and tailenders. Taking the all out attack approach on a tough pitch, the Mumbai-born batter’s 92-run knock included 10 fours and four sixes. He also created the record for most sixes in an innings in a pink-ball Test.
The 27-year-old’s knock helped India post 252 in the first innings amidst a batting collapse. He was the last to get out in an attempt to clear the field while dancing down the track.
In the second innings, he scored 67 runs from 86 deliveries including nine fours. His knock helped India get the lead past 400. India set a massive target of 447 for Sri Lanka to chase on a pitch that has been mighty helpful for spinners.
Batters with rare double
In 2016, West Indies’ Darren Bravo became the first batter to hit a century in the fourth innings of a pink-ball Test. In a clash against Pakistan in Dubai, he registered scores of 87 and 116 in a losing cause.
Later that year, former Australian captain Steve Smith achieved the feat against Pakistan. Smith scored a century against Misbah-ul-Haq-led side in the first innings followed by a half-century in the second innings.
Australia’s no.3 batter Marnus Labuschagne is the only batter to achieve the feat twice. Labuschagne scored 143 against New Zealand in the first innings in Perth followed by a 50-run knock in the second innings. Two years later, he registered scores of 103 and 51 against England in Adelaide as well.
