CRICKET | It’s been a great journey for him and I wish him well: Deshpande on Shreyas

As teenagers spending endless hours astatine the nets of Shivaji Park Gymkhana successful the aboriginal 2010s, Shreyas Iyer and Tushar Deshpande had a elemental wager to marque signifier sessions much competitive.

If Deshpande’s gait bowling got the amended of Shreyas’ stylish strokeplay, the batter would bargain him an ovum sandwich astatine the gymkhana canteen. If Shreyas dominated, Deshpande paid the bill.

More than a decennary later, the stakes person changed.

“Of people the affable matches volition proceed successful the nets but for a antithetic prize, the prize volition beryllium the World Cup (in 2028),” Deshpande said connected Saturday.

Few players person possibly witnessed Shreyas’ travel from person quarters than Deshpande.

Having played with him done Mumbai cricket, shared dressing rooms and besides played nether him, Deshpande believes Shreyas’ emergence from the maidans of Shivaji Park to becoming India’s T20I skipper hardly surprises those who cognize him closely.

“I deliberation everyone knows he’s a superb player, superb cricketer and a large leader,” Deshpande said. “He has shown that for Punjab Kings arsenic well. Winning the IPL for KKR, taking Delhi Capitals to the last erstwhile I was a portion of Delhi Capitals. It’s been a large travel for him and I privation him well.”

While Shreyas’ assignment dominated conversations, Deshpande himself continues searching for consistency successful opportunities. Despite enjoying an awesome commencement to his maiden play with Rajasthan Royals successful IPL 2026, the Mumbai pacer featured successful lone six matches.

After missing the erstwhile variation of T20 Mumbai owed to his Indian commitments, Deshpande arsenic Maratha Royals’ icon subordinate has ensured his all-round abilities stay intolerable to ignore.

“Personally it was disappointing to get lone six games adjacent though I bowled a superb past implicit nether unit successful the archetypal game, but it each boils down to the squad equilibrium and the team’s requirements,” Deshpande said.

“Everyone successful Mumbai knows what I tin bash with the bat and I americium gladsome I americium capable to explicit myself with the shot and the bat and assistance my squad implicit here.”