Alex Carey: Shreyas Iyer Got Potential To Lead India

Alex Carey said that Shreyas Iyer has got potential to lead India one day in future as he captained his franchise Delhi Capitals to the runners-up position in IPL 2020.

He said the statement ahead of the limited-overs series between India and Australia consisting of 3 ODIs and as many T20Is, which will also mark the return of Team India in international cricket after a gap of more than 7 months due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Alex Carey: Shreyas Iyer Got Potential & Will Be Fantastic Leader In Future For India

India last played cricket while touring Australia’s neighbouring side New Zealand while ODI series against South Africa was postponed after the abandonment of the first match due to rain. Shreyas Iyer has every quality that needed for a captain as he led from the front, was aggressive and dynamic, backed players besides being technically strong. His rise as a batsman and as a leader has been simultaneous.

In a bold move, maybe best one by Delhi Capitals (then Daredevils) a couple of seasons ago in the IPL was made when Shreyas Iyer was assigned as a captain. Australian wicket-keeper batsman Alex Carey said that undoubtedly in Shreyas Iyer, India have found a future leader.

“No doubt he’s got the potential to lead India one day. I think Shreyas is going to be a fantastic leader moving forward,” said Carey answering to a Hindustan Times question in a selected media interaction on Tuesday.

He is one of those rare cricketers who thrives under pressure and in crunched situations as responsibilities tend to get the best out of him. He proved that in his first assignment as a leader back in IPL 2018. A 23-year-old youngster who had played a handful of matches for India was given the responsibility to lead an IPL side.

In his first match as skipper of Delhi Capitals after Gautam Gambhir stood down after the first leg, Shreyas Iyer smashed an unbeaten 40-ball 93 to give hope to a team running on life support.

Delhi finished last but Shreyas Iyer scored 411 runs at an average of 37. Since then both the team and skipper have gone strength to strength. In 2019, he led DC to their first playoffs in 7 years, scoring 463 runs. And this year, he once again bettered his tally by amassing 519 runs in DC’s best season in recent memory. Delhi Capitals failed to cross the final hurdle but his captaincy stood out throughout the series.

“His ability to connect with all the players in the group was fantastic. He took the focus off himself and worried more about the group. He’s been really successful for the last couple of seasons for Delhi,” Carey said when asked to describe what made Iyer special as a leader.

Shreyas Iyer has played only 18 ODIs and 22 T20Is with 1 ODI century. In 79 IPL matches, Shreyas Iyer has scored 2200 runs averaging above 30. He scored above 300 runs every time since IPL 2017.

Alex Carey: Shreyas Iyer Is Still Young And Learning Besides Being A Fantastic Batsman And Person

Alex Carey, who played the entire IPL under Shreyas Iyer’s captaincy highlighted the right-hander’s ability to connect with players as his biggest ability. Alex Carey played 3 matches in IPL 2020 scoring 32 runs when Rishabh Pant was absent due to injury. This was Alex Carey’s first IPL.

“He’s still young and learning his crafts. He’s a fantastic batsman and a great person as well. To connect with every player in a big squad like Delhi is quite a tiring task but he was excellent in managing that. His positive attitude towards the game and his partnership with Ricky really worked well for us. The future is very bright for him,” he said.

In international cricket, Shreyas Iyer rose to be India’s best answers to the dreaded No.4 question returning as India’s highest run-scorer in the five-match T20I series against New Zealand earlier this year with 153 runs averaging 51. He backed that up with an even better ODI series where he scored 217 runs averaging 72.33.

India will begin their return to international cricket with the first ODI against Australia on November 27 at Sydney, where Shreyas Iyer would hope it also launches another chapter in his life trying to cement his spot as a batsman besides being a potential leader who wins matches for his side.