Former Indian batter Mohammad Kaif showered praise on Shreyas Iyer’s performances in the 2025 Champions Trophy. India defeated New Zealand by four wickets at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai on Sunday to win their seventh ICC title.
Iyer scored an impressive knock of 48 runs in the summit clash against the Blackcaps in the run-chase of 252. India was reeling at 122-3 after losing thee quick wickets but Iyer added a pivotal alliance of 61 runs with Axar Patel.
The Mumbai batter scored 243 runs in five matches of the eight-team tournament at an average of 48.60 and was India’s highest run-getter in the competition and the second-highest overall.
“I was surprised by his form. He neither plays Tests, nor is he in the T20I squad. He plays only ODIs for India. So you are not there in the team continuously. You have to straightaway play for India after playing in the Ranji Trophy for Mumbai, and in a zone where you have to attack, hit boundaries, and play your natural game,” Mohammad Kaif said on Star Sports.
Kaif hailed Iyer for grabbing his opportunities while batting at number four, which had been a troublesome position for the team in the past.
“I admire this batter because many players came and went at the No. 4 position. We weren’t getting players for the No. 4 position. This guy came and made his place, and plays impactful knocks. He is this tournament’s second-highest run-getter, but he didn’t get a single Man of the Match,” the former India batter added.
On the other hand, Kaif also hailed Shreyas Iyer for his consistent performances while batting at number four.
“He is never in focus. He might not have got a Man of the Match trophy, but I believe he gives massive contributions at No. 4. He manages the innings when there is a spin challenge. He takes the game forward. He even played slow against Australia during his partnership with Virat Kohli,” he said in the aforementioned show.
“He concentrated on singles, took the game deep, and won the match in the end. So he knows how to adjust his game. He is a naturally aggressive player but slowed himself in that match because (Shubman) Gill and Rohit (Sharma) had gotten out. So he has become an intelligent batter now. He has emerged as a mature batter,” Kaif observed.
Iyer will lead Punjab Kings in the upcoming IPL.
