IPL 2025: Michael Vaughan hails ‘brilliant’ Shreyas Iyer, lauds India’s depth

Former England captain Michael Vaughan has showered praise on Shreyas Iyer after the Punjab Kings captain scored a scintillating knock of 97 runs off just 42 balls against Gujarat Titans at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad on Tuesday in the ongoing IPL 2025.

Iyer is known for his solid batting against the spinners and he has been in amazing form in the recent past. The right-hander also scored 243 runs in five matches of the Champions Trophy at an average of 48.60 and he was India’s leading run-getter in the tournament.

Vaughan shared his surprise that Iyer is not part of India’s T20I team.

Michael Vaughan said on Cricbuzz, “He’s a brilliant player. I just keep scratching my head and thinking he’s not in the Indian T20I team. It was brilliant. It really was from the first ball when he punched it down the ground. He makes sixes look very easy, and it’s certainly not.”

“And I liked his flicks off the hip to the short ball. But the way he strikes down the ground off the spinners and the one over extra cover, he just gives himself a little bit of space and hits through the line just outside of the off stump.”

On the other hand, Vaughan hailed the depth in Indian cricket as a lot of young players continue to impress in the IPL. Vaughan also recalled that Iyer had a magnificent run in the ODI World Cup 2023, scoring 530 runs in 11 matches at an average of 66.25.

“It’s a real worry for the rest of the world that you know this Indian juggernaut. They’ve won the T20 World Cup, the Champions Trophy, and the final of the 50-over World Cup. He played brilliantly in the 50-over World Cup. Just had a little bit of an off day in the final. Where is the next T20 World Cup? It’s in Sri Lanka,” said Vaughan.

“Then, the next 50-over World Cup in South Africa. I’ve just watched the T20 tournament in South Africa. Lots of spin, lots of slow wickets. So, it will not be any different for the 50-over World Cup. The rest of the world has got to catch up, and I don’t know how, I don’t know how they’re going to do because this Indian juggernaut has a mass of players, and I reckon you’ve got 30 odd players that you could choose from. Iyer is right up near the top of that.”

Iyer would look to carry his impressive form for PBKS.