I am emotionless now: Mumbai’s Shreyas Iyer has stopped thinking about selection for India

Indian batsman Shreyas Iyer said he has stopped thinking and worrying about being selected in the national squad.

The 24-year-old, who last played for India in a One-Day International in South Africa in February this year, said that “selection is a temporary thing” and he prefers to enjoy life instead of worrying about it.

“I don’t feel anything from the inside these days,” Iyer told the Indian Express in an interview. “For me somehow it isn’t important,” he added, referring to playing for India.

“I am emotionless now. Someone comes and says, I am in team, I am not in team, kuch farak nahi padta (it doesn’t matter much).”

Iyer has done really well in the Ranji Trophy since his debut in 2014. He has scored 809, 1,321 and 725 runs for Mumbai in the last three seasons. He was last picked in the Indian squad for the T20I series in Australia last month, but did not get to play. Iyer is also the captain of the Delhi Capitals franchise in the Indian Premier League.

“I have stopped thinking too much [about selection],” he said. “It all started against West Indies. I told myself that I want to enjoy my life. 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.”

Iyer also said that playing cricket continuously without much rest in between tournaments has taken a toll on him. Since the 2018 IPL, Iyer has played the Vijay Hazare Trophy and the Ranji Trophy, apart from being a part of the India A team in New Zealand.

“[My] body is completely tired, I am fatigued mentally,” he said. But no one is going to say take rest. No one cares.

“We are playing non-stop for two years. We don’t get even a small break. I am out of home for 300 days. Even if am in India, I am not home,” he added.