Ranji Trophy: Shreyas Iyer smashes first class century for Mumbai after 3 years

Veteran India batter Shreyas Iyer, who has been out of the national team recently, scored his first First-Class century in three years while playing for Mumbai in the second-round Ranji Trophy match against Maharashtra on Saturday. However, Iyer came in the middle at number five after Mumbai lost their captain Ajinkya Rahane very early. Along with young opener Ayush Mhatre, Iyer helped Mumbai post Maharashtra’s first-innings total, forging a crucial 200-run stand with Mhatre on Day 2. The partnership helped Mumbai go past the 300-run mark, setting a solid platform for the team as well.

BCCI excluded Shreyas Iyer from central contracts

While Mhatre got out for a well-made 176, Iyer scored his hundred off 131 balls, hitting nine fours and three sixes as well. The innings marked the end of his century drought for Iyer, who had been out of the Indian Test side since long. His last first-class hundred came for India against New Zealand in November 2021 during the Kanpur Test as well. During this knock, Iyer also crossed the milestone of 6,000 First-Class runs as well.

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Shreyas Iyer makes a comeback

The hundred came as a much-needed boost for Shreyas Iyer, who has struggled with form recently in the domestic season. In the Duleep Trophy, he managed only 154 runs across six innings as well, with two fifties and two ducks as well. In the Irani Cup, playing for Mumbai, Iyer’s performances remained poor too, smashing 57 and 8 across two innings as well. He also registered another duck in Mumbai’s opening Ranji Trophy match last week against Baroda as well.

Shreyas Iyer, alongside wicket-keeper-batter Ishan Kishan, was excluded from the BCCI Central Contracts list earlier in 2024 as well. This also came after both of them were dropped to have skipped domestic matches as well. Iyer gave back and groin pain as the reason for him not playing in Ranji games.

However, Shreyas Iyer’s century in the Ranji Trophy will give him more confidence as he looks to revive his domestic and international career as well.