India’s victorious campaign in the Champions Trophy 2025 saw valuable contributions from every team member. While there wasn’t one dominant player, and each performed admirably in their roles, former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif pointed out a less obvious hero in India’s successful squad. Although star players like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma were crucial, Shreyas Iyer emerged as India’s highest run-scorer in the tournament, batting at No. 4. Kaif expressed strong admiration for the 30-year-old Iyer.
Kaif shared his respect for Shreyas, especially considering he isn’t part of the T20I or Test teams. This puts extra pressure on him to perform immediately when selected for the ODI format.
‘I was impressed by his form. He is not in the Test or T20I squads, playing only ODIs for India. This means he has to perform directly for India after playing domestic cricket, needing to attack and play his natural game right away,’ Kaif explained on Star Sports, discussing Iyer’s form.
Shreyas impressively scored 243 runs in five Champions Trophy 2025 matches. He achieved scores over 40 in each of India’s last four innings, including half-centuries against Pakistan and New Zealand during the group stage.
This strong performance follows his success in the 2023 ODI World Cup, where he hit 530 runs in 11 games. Shreyas has become a dependable and consistent No. 4 batsman in ODI cricket for India, a position that was previously uncertain for many years.
‘I admire him because many players have tried and failed at the No. 4 position. We struggled to find a player for that role. He came in, secured his place, and played impactful innings,’ Kaif stated.
‘He was the tournament’s second-highest scorer, yet he didn’t receive a single Man of the Match award,’ Kaif added.
Shreyas’s significant contributions in almost every match made him a contender for the ‘Player of the Tournament’ award at the Champions Trophy 2025. However, New Zealand’s Rachin Ravindra ultimately received the honor.
Nevertheless, Shreyas enthusiastically joined in India’s victory celebrations. Taking the initiative, as Virat Kohli didn’t repeat his ‘Gangnam style’ dance from 2013, Shreyas created his own dance moves, adding to India’s joyful trophy moment.
