India vs New Zealand: How Shreyas Iyer has the plan to deal with short bowling

It was evident during the one match in the three-match T20I series between India and New Zealand that was played out entirely. 

Shreyas was facing Lockie Ferguson in that match when he jumped back, expecting a slower ball and then inexplicably knocking off his own stumps and being out hit wicket. 

Suffice it to say this is something both of them will be joking about in a few months when it’s time for the 2023 edition of the Indian Premier League, given Ferguson has returned to the Shreyas-led Kolkata Knight Riders. 

But it also bares that while Shreyas is aware of his shortcomings against the short ball, he has yet to fully overcome the fear of being troubled by it. 

And, to be fair to the Mumbai batsman, dealing with top-quality short bowling is a skill that has taken many of the greats of the game some time to master. 

It is also worth noting that top-quality short-ball bowling can trouble even the best of batters in the right conditions. 

However, the spotlight is bigger on Shreyas because it is one of the few weaknesses in his armor. 

And the fact that he is seen as a player who can be a mainstay for India’s middle order in the coming years and will thus need to work on his weaknesses. 

However, one approach could work wonders for him – mastering and using the ramp shot against a short ball. 

It’s a staple of the modern-day batsman, the ability to duck slightly and then deftly guide a short ball to the boundary behind the wicketkeeper’s head. 

It’s a good approach for two reasons – one, it is a shot that is almost impossible to set a field for and can sometimes pay dividends even when the shot is mishit or takes a top edge. 

The other is that it doesn’t require as much mastery of the pull or hook shot, which have long been the staple counter-attacks for any player against a bouncer. 

Shreyas’ current approach is to play out shorter balls and then look to score judiciously off the spinners, which will work well in ODI cricket. 

But, in T20Is, where the number of balls to be played is limited, it is an approach that won’t work either. 

By his admission, he is thinking slowly. “Approach is always optimistic. I don’t like to think much about the future; whatever is in my hands I do and try to live in the present,” he said after the first ODI against New Zealand. 

“Players will come and go, but consistency is what will matter. Ups and downs are in everyone’s career; nothing is called stable. 

“When people are talking outside, I just like to be in my zone and that’s what helps me.”

However, he will look at solving the short ball problem sooner rather than later. And a ramp shot might help him a lot in doing just that.