New Delhi:  Star India batter Shreyas Iyer spoke about why he chose to take a six-month break from red-ball cricket as the physical demands of the format had started affecting his body and overall intensity. After playing an impactful knock of 61 in Indias two-wicket loss to Australia in the second ODI in Adelaide Iyer admitted that he struggled to sustain the energy and focus needed for Test cricket particularly during long hours in the field. Shreyas Iyer said his intensity drops after long spells When I played red-ball cricket after the IPL I realised that if I field for long spells on the ground my intensity starts to go down Iyer said at the post-match press conference. And the intensity that you need to maintain in international cricket I wasnt able to match up to it. In ODIs you know you will get rest after one day and be able to recover. Not in Tests. That is why I made that call and conveyed that message. The 29-year-old who recently led India A in a series against Australia A played the first unofficial Test but pulled out of the second due to back pain. The BCCI later clarified that it was a recurrence of the same lower-back injury that had kept him out in 2023 and required surgery in London. Iyer opened up and said during his break from red-ball cricket he concentrated on improving his technique and regaining full fitness for the white-ball formats. In the past year he has worked on his batting stance to a more upright position which he feels has helped him handle bouncier pitches more effectively. Iyer revealed he concentrated on improving his technique The technique Ive got lately is not something that Ive changed suddenly he said. Since last year I wanted to have an upright stance especially on wickets where the bounce is a little more than expected. I grew up playing with that kind of stance so I just thought of going back to my old method and seeing how it works out. Iyer who shared a 118-run stand with Rohit Sharma in Adelaide also noted that altering his stance has made him a more adaptable batter You have to keep chopping and changing because every surface is different he said. Even in Mumbai on red-soil wickets with extra bounce an upright stance helps. I feel I can adapt anywhere at the moment. Iyers composed knock guided India to a competitive total In the Adelaide ODI Iyer’s composed innings guided India back from a challenging start against a probing Australian bowling attack spearheaded by Josh Hazlewood Hazlewood was bowling brilliantly. The ball was seaming in and out and it wasnt an easy wicket to bat on at the start he said. We wanted to have an attacking approach but also rotate strike as much as possible to build momentum.