Kanpur (Uttar Pradesh) [India], November 26 (ANI): India batter Shreyas Iyer on Friday shared his memories of playing in Kanpur and said that the place has been really 'lucky' for him.

Shreyas Iyer registered a century on debut as the hosts posted 345 runs on the board against New Zealand in the first innings of the ongoing Test here at Green Park, Kanpur.

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"Kanpur stadium has been really lucky for me. My debut Ranji season was under Suryakumar's captainship and I would like to thank him for backing me after my first four innings because I thought I would be out of the team. And then we were kind of in the same situation when we came to Kanpur. We were 20 or 30 for 5 and then I made a 150-run partnership with the tail-enders and got to a good position for the team. Even in the IPL, I scored 93 here. So, one of the luckiest cricket grounds I have ever played at," Iyer told Suryakumar in a video posted on BCCI TV.

On receiving his cap from Sunil Gavaskar, Iyer said, "I obviously knew that I would be playing two days prior and I had visualized the entire scene in my mind. I thought Rahul Dravid sir will present me with the debut Test cap, I was not expecting to receive it from Sunil Gavaskar sir. Both are legends of the game, either of them would have given me the cap, I would have been happy and it is a great feeling."

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"Sunil Gavaskar motivated me with his wise words and gave me the cap and I kissed it. This is what I had visualized doing before getting the cap," he added.

At stumps on Day 2, New Zealand's score reads 129/0 with the visitors still trailing by 216 runs. For the Kiwis, Will Young (75*) and Tom Latham (50*) are currently unbeaten at the crease. (ANI)

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