How Shreyas Iyer, who never watched cricket as kid, emerged one of India's finest cricketers

Unlike most kids in India, cricket wasn’t Shreyas Iyer's first love. “I never really watched cricket as a kid,” he said in a recent episode of the iQOO Quest Talk podcast with Nipun Marya. “For my dad, cricket was everything, but for me, it was about playing, not watching.” (Photo- Instagram)

Shreyas was instead drawn to other sports like cycling, tennis, football, and Formula One. “I never really enjoyed watching cricket with intensity,” he admitted with a smile. (Photo- X)

But once started playing, everything changed. “Playing the game gave me a different thrill. That’s when I knew cricket was something I wanted to live, not just watch.” (Photo- X)

His breakthrough came at Shivaji Park Gymkhana, where coach Pravin Amre spotted his natural talent. Following which he had a breakthrough in the 2015 Ranji Trophy, which led to his IPL debut. (Photo- X)

In 2017, Shreyas made his international debut for India. And has also led three franchises to IPL final. “I never imagined I would captain three IPL teams to the finals,” he said, reflecting on an achievement no one had ever done before. (Photo- X)

Despite facing injuries and doubts, Shreyas always responded with match-winning knocks, proving his resilience. And in fact, his journey also reflects that passion doesn’t always come from following; sometimes it comes from playing, failing, and rising again. (Photo- Reuters)