Dubai: India and Delhi Capitals (DC) middle-order batsman Shreyas Iyer on Saturday reached Dubai to get ready for the upcoming Phase 2 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021, starting September 19.There is no doubt that it is the best preparation – playing in probably the strongest domestic T20 tournament in those exact conditions. I am not saying it just because I want some of the Australian players at Delhi, added Ponting, who has been at the helm of the IPL franchise since 2018.
Shreyas, who led the Capitals to the final in the 2020 season, is making a comeback after four months of intense rehabilitation. He had undergone shoulder surgery on April 8 after a horrific on-field injury during an ODI in Pune.
Yes, Shreyas has already reached Dubai and will start training after the completion of all quarantine protocols, an official close to DC told PTI. The DC team will arrive in the UAE by the end of the month, but Shreyas wants to start training and be on level terms by the time he touches base with the squad, added the source.
Shreyas has his childhood coach and DC batting coach Pravin Amre for help.
Pravin has traveled with Shreyas as the team and net bowlers aren’t available right now. Since the BCCI SOP protocols don’t allow any outside net bowler, Pravin is expected to help Shreyas with throwdowns during training sessions, said the source. In these COVID-19 times, it is difficult to get quality training time in India. The DC team would be doing hard quarantine in India for five to six days before traveling to the UAE. So, it would have delayed Shreyas’s training time by at least 10 days. He can now make full use and integrate well into the main squad, the source added.