The partnership between Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer has been very effective for India leading up to the Champions Trophy 2025 final. Virat Kohli has been in excellent form, demonstrated by his century against Pakistan and 84 runs in the semi-final against Australia. Shreyas Iyer has also adapted well to the challenging pitches in Dubai and is considered one of the top middle-order batsmen in the tournament.
With India preparing to face New Zealand in the final on Saturday, both Kohli and Iyer are expected to be key players for Rohit Sharma’s team.
Former Indian all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin commended Iyer, suggesting he could be a game-changer for the team in the final.
Ashwin stated on his YouTube channel that he believes Shreyas Iyer will be the game-changer due to his recent strong performances. He highlighted Iyer’s excellent run in the 2023 World Cup, his good play against New Zealand, and his success in Mumbai. Ashwin noted Iyer’s improvement against short balls and believes his strength lies in his desire to overcome his weaknesses.
Ashwin further explained that India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir highly values Iyer because of the way he plays, which takes pressure off Virat Kohli. He mentioned a press conference where Gambhir pointed out that Kohli can play his natural game because Iyer effectively handles spin bowling.
Ashwin elaborated that when Kohli and Iyer form a partnership, opposing captains cannot easily rely on spin tactics to control the game. Iyer’s aggressive play against spin bowlers relieves pressure from Kohli, allowing both batsmen to succeed through partnership play in the middle overs.
