‘Ton will do wonders for his confidence’

Batting great and ex-India captain Gundappa Viswanath hails Mumbai man Shreyas Iyer for three-figure score on Test debut just like he did in 1969 at Kanpur

Nearly 52 years to the day since Gundappa Viswanath capped his Test debut with a second innings hundred at Kanpur’s Green Park, Shreyas Iyer joined the maestro from Bangalore and 14 others in an exclusive club of Indian centurions on their maiden Test appearance.

The first of Viswanath’s 14 hundreds came on November 20, 1969, on the final day of the second Test against Australia and on the back of first innings duck. Iyer grabbed his opportunity at the first time of asking, with a fluent 105 on Friday to steer India to 345 in the first Test against New Zealand.

“It was an excellent innings, typically what you would expect of Shreyas,” said Viswanath. 

Gundappa Viswanath 

“From whatever I have seen of him, is a positive, free-flowing batsman; that’s exactly how his first knock in Test cricket played out as well. He has had to bide his time, but one shouldn’t forget that he has more than 4,500 runs in first-class cricket. Shreyas is already a very experienced batsman who has represented the country in 50-over and 20-over cricket. I am sure that helped him overcome whatever nerves he might have felt in his first Test.”

Viswanath was only 20 when he conjured that excellent 137 against Australia; Shreyas is 10 days shy of his 27th birthday. “I do believe he should have played Tests earlier. He shouldn’t have had to wait this long, given his volume of runs in domestic first-class cricket and for India ‘A’,” Viswanath insisted. 

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‘It’s not in player’s hands’

“However, selection is not in a player’s hands. What is, is what you do when the opportunity presents itself. He has done everything and more that was asked of him. After initial nerves, which is understandable, he batted with such composure and poise. He struck the ball cleanly, imposed himself on the bowlers, batted with responsibility. I don’t think there was one box he left unticked.

“This knock will do wonders for his confidence. No matter how much faith you have in your abilities, you need a certain reaffirmation and nothing better than a hundred on Test debut, right?” he asked, rhetorically.

‘Will cherish the moment’

“My century against Australia made me feel I belong to international cricket. I am sure Shreyas too will cherish this effort for a long time. That he hadn’t played a first-class game for two and a half years and yet was able to slot into Test cricket so effortlessly speaks to his character and class. If he can keep his concentration and application together, I don’t see any reason why he can’t go on to greater things.”

16
No. of Indian batsmen to score a Test century on debut

10
No. of Indian batsmen to score a Test century on debut at home

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