Shreyas Iyer gave an honest outlook on his BCCI contract snub
Photo : AP
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
- Shreyas Iyer opened up on his rough phase
- Shreyas has scored 150 runs in 3 innings in the 2025 CT
- Shreyas ' selection to the team was debated
While the likes of Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli have stolen the limelight with stunning centuries, it is Shreyas Iyer, who has been the backbone of the Indian batting order in the 2025 Champions Trophy as he continues to impress at the number four role.
After three brilliant knocks in the home series against England, Shreyas had a rare failure in the tournament opener against Bangladesh. However, the right-handed batter was quick to put the low score behind and has made half-centuries in the games against Pakistan and New Zealand. In the game against the Kiwis, Shreyas rescued the team after they lost three early wickets with a knock of 79 in 98 balls.
Shreyas is the only number four in ODI history to score more than 1000 runs at an average of above 50 and a strike-rate exceeding 100. He is also the only player in cricket history to score more than 500 runs in the ODI World Cup from number four or below.
Despite his unprecedented success in a position that India struggled to find a reliable option for almost a decade before him, the right-handed batter was stripped of his Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) last year. He was also dropped from the Indian Test and T20I teams and with the Rohit Sharma-led playing just three ODIs in 2024, the 30-year-old was out of the national team for all practical purposes for a year.
Talking about his rough phase, Shreyas gave an honest reflection and suggested that he found little help from others during this period. The Punjab Kings (PBKS) skipper stated that he has learned to trust his instincts while also mentioning that he has worked on his technique.
"It has definitely taught me a lot as a person, as an individual, on how to take the responsibility on myself rather than depending on someone else because over a period of time, I realised that it's only you versus you. No one is going to be there to help you in your tough times, but there are only limited people who would be there and you know them very closely. So yeah, I've been just backing myself and showing that sort of confidence in every situation I enter in. I always love to back my instincts."
"I keep saying that again and again, and I think that's what has helped me in the last 1.5 years. And also the technique that I've developed. I think we had a vivid chat about it. But other than that, just to stay in the present as much as possible and not to dwell in those thoughts which has happened in the past," said Shreyas Iyer to the official broadcaster.
Despite his incredible numbers in the ODI format, Shreyas was set to be left out of the playing XI for the first ODI against England in Nagpur last month before an injury to Virat Kohli as the team were set to open with Yashasvi Jaiswal and slot Shubman Gill at number four. However, both Shreyas and Gill played match-winning knocks and returned to their original slots once Kohli returned. Ultiamtely, Jaiswal was dropped from the 2025 Champions Trophy squad to make way for Varun Chakravarthy.
Over the last year, Shreyas has played domestic cricket for Mumbai in all three formats and was part of the Ajinkya Rahane-led side that won the Ranji and Irani Trophy. He also captained the Indian cricket giants to the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy last year.
Shreyas became an Indian Premier League-winning skipper when Kolkata Knight Riders lifted the elusive crown in 2024.
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