Shreyas Iyer’s woes against short-pitched bowling in red-ball cricket persisted as the Mumbai batsman fell cheaply to Umesh Yadav’s well-directed hostility in the ongoing Ranji Trophy final against Vidarbha.
Facing just his fourth delivery at the Wankhede Stadium, Iyer guided a rising Umesh delivery straight to slip after being set up by a barrage of short balls by the veteran India pacer. The dismissal for 7 was another concerning lowlight in Iyer’s recent struggles in multi-day cricket.
Yadav’s ploy to pepper the 28-year-old with short stuff paid off handsomely, exposing Iyer’s lingering issues against that type of bowling. All four deliveries leading up to the dismissal were short of a length, with the Mumbai captain looking distinctly uncomfortable against the tactic.
It was a virtual replay of Iyer’s semifinal woes against Tamil Nadu, where his vulnerability to the rising ball was laid bare. In the two innings so far in this Ranji final, the stylish right-hander has managed just 10 runs.
This latest failure is sure to amplify criticism around Iyer’s priorities being skewed towards IPL riches over honing his first-class game. He was one of the big names to miss out on a central BCCI contract after not featuring enough for Mumbai this season.
As Vidarbha aim to defend their Ranji Trophy crown, Iyer will need to find a solution quickly to his shortball problems if Mumbai are to overturn the deficit. At a time when his Test berth is under scrutiny, the final presents a make-or-break opportunity to prove his red-ball credentials extend beyond IPL dominance.
For one of India’s white-ball batting mainstays, countering Umesh’s searing short stuff could prove the difference between reviving or damaging his longform ambitions.
