Ahmedabad: Going into the IPL auctions, Ricky Ponting was adamant that he wanted Shreyas Iyer as his captain for Punjab Kings. The Aussie great had seen something in the Mumbai man’s leadership during his stint as Delhi Capitals coach, that convinced him that Iyer was the right man for the job.

On Tuesday here, Iyer showed what setting examples as a captain was all about. He had cut, pulled, lofted, and drove the Gujarat Titans bowlers to all parts of the ground, reaching 90 off 38 balls by the end of the 17th over. It seemed a three-figure score was there for the taking, a landmark that Iyer would have cherished, especially at a time when he is trying to find his way back into the Indian T20 set-up.

But that was not to be as Iyer remained unbeaten on 97 off 42 balls. He could easily have asked his junior partner Shashank Singh to give him the strike, but with the right-hander going great guns at the other end, the Punjab captain didn’t mind playing only four of the last 18 balls. It left him three shy off the coveted century. Shashank’s 44 off 16 balls played a big role in Punjab Kings reaching 243/5, which allowed them to notch up the 11-run win.

During the 20th over, the two had a mid-pitch conversation and at the end of the match, Shashank threw light on what was discussed. “I didn’t see the scoreboard, to be very honest. But after I hit the first ball, I saw the scoreboard. Shreyas was batting on 97. I was about to ask him whether I would take a single and get him the strike. But he only came and told me, ‘Shashank, don’t worry about my 100’.

“It takes a lot of heart and courage to say this because hundreds don’t come easily in T20, especially in IPL. The way Shreyas told me to go and just hit every ball gave me even more confidence. It’s a team game at the end of the day. But then, in those situations, it’s difficult to be that selfless. But Shreyas was one,” said Shashank.

“I have known him for the past 10 to 15 years. He is the same. And obviously, he told me just to be calm, play cricketing shots, maintain my balance. I think we had a good finish,” he revealed later.

Iyer seemed hardly bothered that he didn’t get a century. Praising his batting partner for his effort, the Indian ODI star said: “I am ecstatic… Getting 97 not out in the first match is always the icing on the cake. There is no better feeling, it was important for me to go ahead and adapt.”

Iyer’s form has been coming for praise from all quarters. “Iyer the most improved batsman in last one year. Ready for all formats. Great to see his improvement after a few issues on length,” posted former India captain, Sourav Ganguly on social media.

Kiwi Kane Williamson pointed out another aspect of Iyer’s game. “What is most impressive is his ability to shift his weight forward again, making it difficult for bowlers who try the ‘one-two’ approach — going short, then full. He’s now able to access all areas of the ground, which makes him such a formidable batter. What stands out about Shreyas is how he continues to evolve his game,” the New Zealander said on JioStar.
Talking about Iyer’s innings Tuesday, Williamson said, “It was a knock of the highest standard.”