Shreyas Iyer became the 16th India player to score a Test hundred on debut, achieving the feat during the first Test match between India and New Zealand in Kanpur.

Replacing Virat Kohli in the side after the India skipper opted for rest, Iyer looked confident during his 171-ball stay at the crease. Walking in to bat at 145-4, Iyer dug deep and gritted it out, forming a 121-run partnership for the fifth wicket with Ravindra Jadeja. The Mumbai batter ended the first day on 75 with the help of seven fours and two sixes, and started off the second aggressively, hitting five fours in 13 balls to show his intent. He got to his maiden hundred with a gentle dab behind point before taking off his helmet to soak in the cheers of the crowd and his teammates.

Starting with the departure of Jadeja, the India team lost their last six wickets for 79 runs, which made Iyer’s knock all the more crucial. His 105 played a huge role in the hosts piling on 345 in the first innings, and his efforts were applauded by his teammates and experts, and fans.

Brilliant 👏 @ShreyasIyer15 pic.twitter.com/tP9uoIdE9Y

— hardik pandya (@hardikpandya7) November 26, 2021

What a knock! What a start to your Test career! So happy and proud, bro @ShreyasIyer15 👏🏼🥳 pic.twitter.com/W68w0A1Coh

— Surya Kumar Yadav (@surya_14kumar) November 25, 2021

All of us to @ShreyasIyer15 right now:
What an innings 👏🏼 #INDvNZ pic.twitter.com/RdSSUSlWJR

— Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14) November 26, 2021

Great start to your Test career, @ShreyasIyer15.

Nice to see you as a part of #TeamIndia in ‘whites’.
Good luck! #INDvNZ pic.twitter.com/O1ZNlnotLA

— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) November 26, 2021

Injured, Missed out IPL 2021 first half, lost the captaincy in Delhi Capitals, Sri Lanka tour (should have lead the team), was not part of the 15 member squad of T20 World Cup 2021 then to hundred on his Test debut – the journey of Shreyas Iyer in 2021. pic.twitter.com/Qd1hejvEtu

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) November 26, 2021

A century on Test debut for India..
Shreyas Iyer
– 16th Indian
– 13th Indian on debut inns
– 10th Indian at home
– 2nd at Kanpur (after Gundappa Viswanath)
PS: Now the last three Indians to make a century on Test debut are: Rohit, P Shaw & now Iyer – all from Mumbai!#INDvNZ

— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) November 26, 2021

A century on debut. First of many. Well played, Shreyas Iyer. #IndvNZ

— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) November 26, 2021