Former Indian spinner Anil Kumble feels that Shreyas Iyer is the most trustworthy batter in India’s current ODI squad. He also highlighted Iyer’s performance in the 2023 ODI World Cup.
India defeated New Zealand in the final to claim the Champions Trophy 2025. The Men in Blue grabbed their third ICC Champions Trophy. Shreyas contributed significantly to India’s victory with 243 runs in five innings. He amassed his runs at an average of 48.60, and a strike rate of 79.41.
In a conversation on ESPNcricinfo, Kumble was questioned whether Shreyas could now be referred to as India’s most dependable ODI batter, to which he stated,
“Yes, he has been India’s most dependable batter. We saw that in the ODI World Cup and also in this competition. A No. 4 batter needs to be dependable. He is controlling the innings. Shreyas has done that very well.”
Kumble also commented on Iyer’s role in the side. He said the 30-year-old dominates the middle overs and lays the platform for the finishers.
“His job in the team is not to finish the game but to control the middle overs. Whenever he comes in to bat, he ensures stability until the 35th-40th over, setting the stage for players like KL Rahul and Hardik Pandya to finish the match. His partnerships have been impressive, first with Virat Kohli in the in the semifinal against Australia and again with Axar Patel in the final,” the veteran spinner added.
Shreyas played crucial knocks before the final. In the group stage, he scored 56 against Pakistan and 79 against New Zealand. In the semifinal against Australia, he added 45 off 62 balls.
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