We are not machines. I am tired. But no one is going to say take rest: Shreyas Iyer

[Switchblade]

Quote

https://indianexpress.com/article/sports/cricket/shreyas-iyer-we-are-not-machines-i-am-tired-but-no-one-is-going-to-say-take-rest-5512588/

Emotionless, fatigued and lonely’, Mumbai run-machine Shreyas Iyer talks life on the fringes of Team India. In a freewheeling chat, he opens up on a lot of subjects that young cricketers usually shy away from in an effort to be diplomatic.

 

THE car hasn’t moved for a while now and Shreyas Iyer says he hasn’t seen such a traffic jam before in Worli. It’s not only his car which is crawling but Iyer’s cricketing career too is in slow motion these days. At least that’s how it looks from the outside. Iyer says he isn’t frustrated that he is out of the Indian team but he chooses a rather interesting state of mind to describe his feeling: “I am emotionless now”. It’s not that he doesn’t care. Rather, he doesn’t want to care so much that all joy ebbs away from him. He doesn’t want to obsess – and let all the negative feelings associated with it to overwhelm him.

In a freewheeling chat, he opens up on a lot of subjects that young cricketers usually shy away from in an effort to be diplomatic. He talks about how players like him “need more rest”, about how he tackles loneliness on tours, and doesn’t shy away from his vision of becoming a “very big batsman”.

But first, let’s delve into his current state of mind. “I don’t feel anything from the inside these days. Koi feeling hi nahi aa raha hai. For me somehow it (fussing about Indian call) isn’t important. I am emotionless now. Someone comes and says, I am in team, I am not in team, kuch farak nahi padhta (it doesn’t matter much),” he says.

Since making his debut in 2014, in the last three Ranji Trophy seasons, Iyer has piled up 809, 1321 and 725 runs respectively. He was picked for Indian T20 team in December 2017 against visiting New Zealand. He also played six ODI’s, scoring two fifties from five innings. Then the selectors decided to look at other options. His stay with the national team was all too brief. In all probability, he won’t play the World Cup as selectors have decided to go with Ambati Rayudu, who too has had to sweat it really hard for a spot in the middle order.

He says he took the decision not to fret too much about selections during the series against West Indies. “I have stopped thinking too much. It all started against West Indies. I told myself that I want to enjoy my life, mazaa karna hai. I don’t want selection issues to rule my happiness. Otherwise I would get frustrated and thinking about the future will ruin my present also. It’s better to enjoy life – selection is a temporary thing,” he says.

Sometimes, he is reminded of the non-selection at the unlikeliest of places. The other day, during a Ranji game in Mumbai, he was mobbed by fans for selfies and autographs. Someone told him that he wasn’t in the Indian team for Australia and New Zealand.

“I said yes I know. Ab kya bolun? (What else can I say?) Other day someone asked whether I will play World Cup? These days I just say I don’t know,” he says.

There are other issues that a player who is trying to find a place in Indian team goes through. Like constantly being on the road. No time for rest. Cricket can be an all-consuming affair. He hasn’t reached a place, like say Shikhar Dhawan, where he can skip Ranji Trophy. He needs the runs there, he needs to be performing always. He has barely spent any time at home in the last six months

 

Fatigue has been a side-effect of all that. “Body is completely tired, I am fatigued mentally. But no one is going to say take rest, Kisi ko farak pada nahi hai kuch (no one cares),” he says. Since the IPL, he has been part of India A and turned for his state for Vijay Hazare and Ranji Trophy. Does he then think that someone should tell him to take rest? “Yes. We are not machines. I wanted to tell this in any interview. There is no one to tell that players don’t get adequate rest. We are playing non-stop for two years. Zara sa break nahi milta. I am out of home for 300 days. Even if am in India, I am not home.”

It’s not easy saying no, of course. Sometimes out of the need to keep performing and at times, due to loyalties. Like it was when Mumbai asked him to turn up for a game against Saurashtra, just few hours after he returned from India A tour of New Zealand.

“Haan wohi, you can’t also say no. Situation is such. Other day I was in New Zealand when Mumbai asked me whether I can play next game because if Mumbai wants to go to knock-out stage, we need to win all games. How can I say no to Mumbai?” he says.

The long tours without rest, endless nights in hotel rooms, can make one lonely. Iyer talks frankly about it. “I do feel loneliness. Once, when I was playing for India A and on a tour, I felt very lonely. How do I spend time? I listen to music and there is always Netflix. It can get tough. We players do feel homesick; people who watch us playing should realise what we go through.” Netflix has helped; he has binged on Money Heist, Narcos, and Bodyguard recently.

He doesn’t hide the fact that the situation of being in the fringes of the national side can be unpleasant feeling. “It (frustration) was there for last four years. Hoga hi na, kisi ke saath bhi hoga (It will happen, to anyone right?) So I decided not to think about it at all.”

It’s not as if the selectors have abandoned him. Some do talk to him, offering comfort with how they know what he is feeling and that to keep working hard. “I just say yes, nod my head. I have no say in this. I have to perform in whatever matches I get in front of me and am doing just that. Bas, Life is simple.”

It’s not always that easy, though. Sometimes, even if one doesn’t want it, the team-mates and friends do remind you about it, albeit unconsciously. Like reminding how the competitors are doing.

“I don’t care, mujhe koi farak nahi padhta seriously. I don’t follow others scores but my team-mates keep telling me, what’s happening here and there, who is scoring how much! I just listen.”

The one thing that has always stood out with Iyer is his self-belief. He might be in the fringes these days but his forecast for his future is bright. “I see myself as a very big batsman. I have visualised and made it my vision a long time back.”

 

[beetle]

If he gets effected by people asking innocous questions from people, how will he survive in international cricket.

He should see a sports psychologist.

 

He is talking like he was a regular India player .

He has been playing India A and domestic regularly. He should be patient and not talk like a babaji.

See how positive Gill is .

This guy is too negative and a whiner.

[ShoonyaSifar]

He did have a great calendar year. He will get his chance in shorter formats after 2019 WC. Unfortunately this TM is stuck with oldies in the name of experience.

 

 

[Switchblade]

11 minutes ago, beetle said:

If he gets effected by people asking innocous questions from people, how will he survive in international cricket.

He should see a sports psychologist.

 

He is talking like he was a regular India player .

He has been playing India A and domestic regularly. He should be patient and not talk like a babaji.

See how positive Gill is .

This guy is too negative and a whiner.

I think he went to a sports psychologist when he started playing at young age a part of me feels for him when you see players like Rayudu or Dhoni or Dk in Odi's in the middle order it's embarassing to say the least.He got games here and there in South Africa or at home against Kiwis and Srilanka then all of a sudden he gets dropped or being in the reserves can be demotivating but expecting things to be handed to him is a bit unfair.

[Switchblade]

@UrmiSinhaRay Any views?

[King Tendulkar]

Great interview he gave.  Honest and insightful

 

Shows life of FC player.  Its tough.  On the road all the time, life is in a hotel room.  The dissapointmets.

 

Keep going you never know.  Look at agarwal and Vihari

 

He will get chances again when nect wc is over as lots of players wont play again in odis after wc as next cycle starts

[The Dark Horse]

He should be ahead of Manish Pandey but that's about it.

[velu]

his cricketing shots reminds me of right handed chandrapaul 

[prudent_kreeda]

13 minutes ago, King Tendulkar said:

Great interview he gave.  Honest and insightful

 

Shows life of FC player.  Its tough.  On the road all the time, life is in a hotel room.  The dissapointmets.

 

Keep going you never know.  Look at agarwal and Vihari

 

He will get chances again when nect wc is over as lots of players wont play again in odis after wc as next cycle starts

     If he is performing well , its just a matter of 6 months . He will get a fair share of matches in atleast one of the 2 shorter formats. 

     Taking that up from there is in his hands by gun perfomances. 

     All it needs is one super performance to win a match and he will get a good run for 6-7 matches minimum.

[Straight Drive]

2 hours ago, beetle said:

If he gets effected by people asking innocous questions from people, how will he survive in international cricket.

He should see a sports psychologist.

 

He is talking like he was a regular India player .

He has been playing India A and domestic regularly. He should be patient and not talk like a babaji.

See how positive Gill is .

This guy is too negative and a whiner.

There may be reasons why he says he doesn't care much.  Perhaps others are feeling same but due to being diplomatic are probably not speaking up.

 

1. Selection of Dhoni and Rayudu in ODI over him and other young guns like Rishabh Pant. 

 

2. Selection of Rohit Sharma by ignoring some young players who have performed in FC and LIST A is also demotivating 

 

Having said that, he should accept that this is part and parcel of life.  When FAB 5 were settled , many cricketers did not even get a single test to perform for decade.  At least now there are rays of hopes with everyone apart from Kohli being dropped from some or other test in just one year.  The cricketers who missed getting opportunity during settled FAB 5 did not even have IPL to fall back on to earn money.  At least now these guys can earn loads even without being in main team. 

 

Regarding him saying cricket is tough...well there are many jobs which involve monotonous hard work, getting paid Rs. 300 or less a day even with over time that we see many people do in India. And who asks him not to take rest.  Why can't he skip IPL if he is so much busy.  Why can he not request selectors to give him a rest.  Giving such a public statement is like giving everyone a message that he is in some very bad situation professionally  and a highly demotivated individual.  And if he isn't just skip the IPL or tell selectors you cannot play one A series.  He won't because the crores he will get through IPL is more important. Fair enough.  But then don't say I am tired and no one cares. Not playing one IPL season would not make him poor. He will still remain as one of the well earning Indian.  But surely it will give him the much important rest which his body and mind is craving.

 

Every team will want a good player to represent them.  Sometimes one has to say no when one cannot take physical or mental stress anymore. Speak to Mumbai think tank or Delhi Capitals think tank.  Skip a match or two of Vijay Hazare or SMA by letting the management know the concerns.

 

Thank God he isn't an all-rounder. How could he take that workload or stress to perform with both the bat and ball.

Edited December 30, 2018 by Straight Drive

[beetle]

Being disappointed by non selection is one thing but getting effected by simple questions is silly for a professional cricketer.

Plus....talking about fatigue at this age is not going to help his case.

[maniac]

3 minutes ago, beetle said:

Being disappointed by non selection is one thing but getting effected by simple questions is silly for a professional cricketer.

Plus....talking about fatigue at this age is not going to help his case.

I believe What he said is that is in the context of even if he skips one game he will go down the pecking order due to how the selections make no sense and are totally random. He thinks he should have been rewarded for the non stop consistency he displayed.

[prudent_kreeda]

7 minutes ago, beetle said:

Being disappointed by non selection is one thing but getting effected by simple questions is silly for a professional cricketer.

Plus....talking about fatigue at this age is not going to help his case.

   Boy with attitude .  May impact his chances .

[raki05]

On 12/30/2018 at 7:33 PM, Switchblade said:

 

Akhand chutiyapa......he says he doesn't care and still talking endlessly...lodu.

[prudent_kreeda]

34 minutes ago, raki05 said:

Akhand chutiyapa......he says he doesn't care and still talking endlessly...lodu.

       OK undertsand cannot skip IPL. But why cant he say that he will take 10 days rest either to MCA or INDIA A TM. 

    Genuinly  i am puzzled.  

[raki05]

17 minutes ago, prudent_kreeda said:

       OK undertsand cannot skip IPL. But why cant he say that he will take 10 days rest either to MCA or INDIA A TM. 

    Genuinly  i am puzzled.  

As if he is the only one who is gng through it.

[Tendulkar1996]

Will never be a proper batsman unless he fixes his angled bat and learns to play with a straight bat.Such technique wont work outside india and he was exposed in SA vs bounce as well by ngidi.Still better than pandey and rayudud though.Will get his chance after 19wc.

Edited December 31, 2018 by Tendulkar1996

[Trichromatic]

On 12/30/2018 at 11:38 PM, beetle said:

Being disappointed by non selection is one thing but getting effected by simple questions is silly for a professional cricketer.

Plus....talking about fatigue at this age is not going to help his case.

He is 24 and this is the age when people should be at the top of their energy levels. 

 

He should remember he is trying to get into top 20 of a field in a huge country. Entering top 20 in any field takes a lot out of you, emotionally, physically. Saying that player is tired at age of 24 won't cut it. He should look upto SRT who played for 24 years and practiced day and night for those 24 years. 

 

If Iyer is already feeling drained then he should revise his target and see where does he belong mentally - top 50? Then he is already there. He is also making money, so he is good situation. But going above that will drain him at all levels and he should ask himself if he is ready to do that.

[prasen82]

 

On 12/30/2018 at 9:28 AM, beetle said:

If he gets effected by people asking innocous questions from people, how will he survive in international cricket.

He should see a sports psychologist.

 

He is talking like he was a regular India player .

He has been playing India A and domestic regularly. He should be patient and not talk like a babaji.

See how positive Gill is .

This guy is too negative and a whiner.

i think you are being too harsh... consider his age and the pressure of expectations. it is not easy being an athlete..

 

gill came into domestics last year.. shreyas has been around for 4-5 years and tbh he did have his moments. he is not pleasing to the eye,but still has average of  42 at 96 s/r in ODIs. not bad from a statistical point.

 

i think he is being honest. not being diplomatic like every other cricketer. everyone understands getting into international  team is tough.. but in the end all of us are human an all of us have expectations. just imagine getting passed on for promotion year after year, havent you cribbed to your friends. here because he is in limelight, he is giving an interview. no different than us and besides is a young chap..

 

i dont see whining here but brutal honest opinion about his state of mind..

 

we tend to think of all athletes and superstars as the picture perfect gentlemen with no emotions and not showing their weak side.

 

i really liked this interview very honest  and revealing his human side  . just a bit of empathy and probably you can also see why shreyas responded in this manner.

 

 

[beetle]

2 hours ago, prasen82 said:

, havent you cribbed to your friends. here because he is in limelight, he is giving an interview. no different than us and besides is a young chap..

Cribbing to friends is vastly different from giving an interview to the media and saying one doesn't care now.

Just shows too much negativity.

 

I also wonder about his management team making him do things that may not be right....like giving interviews like this and going to talk shows of gossip hosts.

He is 25....not a kid . He should know better.

 

I can understand the frustration though...seeing dhoni ,rayadu ans parthiv being recycled must not be easy.

 

There are positive guys and there are negative guys . A guy like Mayank who had been doing very good stayed positive inspite of being overlooked for so long.

 

Iyer comes across as very negative.

He has mentioned a girl who did not give him bhav before ipl contract and how she called him once he got a contract of 1-2  crores ...not in one but three interviews.That is so immature .

Does he not realise people are listening to his whining about the girl only because he had got a contract ipl.

Last time he whined about it was after playing for India.

Doesn't know how to get over things.

Edited January 1, 2019 by beetle