'Movie night' cut short! Shreyas Iyer recalls 'funny story' after heroics in first ODI against England

What started as a leisurely ‘movie night’ soon turned into a night of anticipation for Shreyas Iyer.

The Indian middle-order batter had tuned in to a movie the night before the first ODI against England in Nagpur, and had planned to “extend the night”, since he was unlikely to make the playing XI.

However, soon he got a call from skipper Rohit Sharma, who informed him that he might play the next day as Virat Kohli was nursing a swollen knee and was unlikely to be fully fit for the match the next day. “And then, (I) hurried back to my room, went off to sleep straight away,” Iyer told broadcaster Star Sports after India’s four-wicket win.

Iyer showed no signs of rustiness, walking in at India 19/2 and blazing his way to a 36-ball 59, with two sixes and nine fours, to set up a convincing win for the hosts and notching up his 19^th ODI fifty.

“I wasn't supposed to play the first game, Virat [Kohli] unfortunately got injured and then I got the opportunity. But, I kept myself prepared, I knew that at any point of time I can get a chance to play,” he said.

Iyer credited his recent stint in domestic cricket for his fitness and form. “To be honest, I played throughout the domestic season, it taught me a lot and gave me a decent idea about how to approach my innings, the attitude I have to keep and it's just the mindset that I've improved over a period of time.” The 30-year-old scored two centuries including a double ton in the Ranji Trophy this season, and also helped Mumbai win the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy.

Vice-captain Shubman Gill anchored the innings with a solid 87, while Axar Patel chipped in with 52 to help India to a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. Earlier, debutant pacer Harshit Rana (3/53 from 7 overs) and Ravindra Jadeja (3/26 from 9) shared six wickets between them, to keep England to a below-par 248. Jose Buttler (52) and Jacob Bethell (51).