Cuttack, Dec 21 (PTI) Shreyas Iyer on Saturday said he was flamboyant but not responsible in the beginning of his career, a far cry from the present day matured man who is displaying both in equal measure while solving India's number four conundrum.

The 25-year-old is gradually settling into the critical number four position in a team that has struggled to find one for the longest time.

The Mumbaikar showed his worth with half centuries in the first two One-day Internationals against the West Indies.

"I think that comes with maturity and responsibility. I was a flamboyant player when I started playing first-class cricket. I never used to take responsibility. I just used to back my instincts and go with the flow," Iyer told reporters on the eve of the series-deciding third ODI here.

"Lately, I've realised that once you play at the highest level, you got to take that maturity to another stage. I can even play strokes and I can even nudge the ball and take single, so I know my game really well right now and I can play accordingly."

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)