Shreyas Iyer Scores Much-Awaited First-Class Double Hundred In Ranji Trophy, Ends Seven-Year-Long Wait

India batter Shreyas Iyer finally ended his wait for a first-class double hundred, as he scored a 201-ball 200 against Odisha for Mumbai during their Ranji Trophy encounter on Thursday. This was his first FC double-century in seven years, the last coming against Australia in 2017 when he was playing for India A and scored an unbeaten 202. Walking in at number five for Mumbai at the loss of skipper Ajinkya Rahane who departed for a golden duck, Iyer and Siddhesh Lad took their team to 385 at stumps on Day 1 with respective centuries and on Thursday, he converted his unbeaten 152-run innings to a brilliant double hundred. Iyer has worked his way back into form, having scored a century against Maharashtra in his last appearance for Mumbai. He then skipped the game against Tripura and returned rejuvenated against Odisha. It had been almost three years, 38 innings and some surgeries since Iyer had scored a first-class century and the Maharashtra game broke a long-term jinx. The last one had come on his Test debut against New Zealand in Kanpur in November 2021.Iyer played his last Test against England earlier this year and was sidelined midway through the series due to his recurring back injury. After that, he was dropped and also lost his central contract. Iyer’s century on Day 1 came in just 101 deliveries and by stumps, he was batting on 152 with 18 boundaries and four sixes. While he went all guns blazing, Lad played the anchor role and held one end up. The 32-year-old's unbeaten 116 came off 234 deliveries to ensure Mumbai took total control. Iyer reached his double hundred in just 201 deliveries on the back of 22 boundaries and eight sixes.At the time of writing, Mumbai were 464/3 after 106 overs, with Lad batting on 136 while Iyer was on 207.