Indian batsman Shreyas Iyer showcased his exceptional talent by scoring a remarkable double century for Mumbai on Day 2 of their fourth-round match in the Ranji Trophy 2024-25 against Odisha at the Sharad Pawar Cricket Academy BKC in Mumbai. The right-handed batsman played a magnificent innings, scoring 233 runs off 228 balls, including 24 fours and nine sixes, achieving his highest first-class score.
Iyer began the day at 152 not out, having already scored his 15th first-class century on Day 1. He continued his impressive form and reached his double century in just 201 balls, surpassing his previous best of 202 runs.
The 29-year-old came to the crease with Mumbai at 154/3 after being asked to bat first by Odisha captain Govinda Poddar. Iyer partnered with Siddesh Lad, and together they built a massive 354-run stand for the fourth wicket, guiding Mumbai past the 500-run mark. Lad also reached his ninth first-class century, showcasing Mumbai's strong batting performance against Odisha's bowling attack.
This was Iyer's second consecutive century in the tournament, following his brilliant 142 in the previous match against Maharashtra. It was his first first-class century in nearly three years, with his last one coming on his Test debut against New Zealand in Kanpur in 2021.
After his impressive performance against Maharashtra, Iyer took a break in the next game against Tripura to rest and returned against Odisha to achieve his highest first-class score. Despite a slow start to the domestic season, where he scored only 154 runs in six innings in the Duleep Trophy, including two half-centuries and two ducks, Iyer has now proven his class with this outstanding innings.
During the Irani Cup, representing Mumbai, Iyer's performances were disappointing, as he only managed to score 57 and 8 runs across two innings. Additionally, he suffered another setback by recording a duck in Mumbai's opening Ranji Trophy match against Baroda last week. This year has not been the best for the Mumbai batter, as he was dropped from the Indian Test squad and lost his BCCI Central Contract earlier in the year.
However, the recent twin centuries scored by Iyer will undoubtedly boost his confidence as he strives to reclaim his spot in the Indian Test team.
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