Former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif lavished praise on Shreyas Iyer for his performance in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Iyer was Rohit Sharma-led side's vital cog in the mega event as he scored 243 runs in five outings. He noted that Iyer did not get a Player of the Match award in the tournament despite his contributions.
Team India remained unbeaten throughout the tournament as they defeated Bangladesh, Pakistan and New Zealand in their group stage matches. The Men in Blue registered a four-wicket win against Australia to seal their berth for the final. India faced New Zealand in the final and defeated them by four wickets to win the title.
"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," Kaif told Star Sports.
Iyer was added in India's ODI squad after his impressive performance in the domestic cricket. Kaif believes that India's problem for number four batter has been solved as Iyer is performing brilliantly.
"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.
This is India's third Champions Trophy title, the first one was shared with Sri Lanka in 2002, and the second title came under MS Dhoni's captaincy in 2013. With this win, India became the most successful team in Champions Trophy history, surpassing Australia with three titles.