How a simple advice from MS Dhoni helped Shreyas Iyer maintain focus on cricket

Mumbai: Over the years in the Indian team, Mahendra Singh Dhoni has shaped the careers of many young talents through his valuable inputs and experience. Despite his growing age, the wicket-keeper batsman still continues to be one of the vital cogs for the Men in Blue.

Recently, Shreyas Iyer revealed how a bit of advice from the former Team India skipper during the early stages of his international career helped him focus only on cricket. Iyer earned his first senior call-up to the national team in 2017 after he was selected for the T20I series against New Zealand at home, where he also made his debut.

“After I joined the Indian cricket team, MS Dhoni advised me that I need to avoid reading the newspapers and should try to stay away from social media as much as possible. Social media has become a big part of our lives and I try to manage it well but it’s the criticism that motivates me and keeps me going,” the youngster said during Renil Abraham’s talk show on Zoom.

The Mumbai batsman also recalled an incident when he got his first big break during the Indian Premier League (IPL) that got him a lot of attention. Iyer disclosed how he handled the spotlight and was cautious to spot people who were looking to make use of his fame.

“Soon after the auction news was out, this girl whom I knew started messaging me. On confronting her as to why she is desperately trying to reach out, I got to know that she was doing so because she was happy for me. That’s when I understood that rather than getting to know me, she was behind the money,” Iyer added.

Last week, Shreyas Iyer was named skipper of the India A team for the upcoming four-day games against South Africa A side.