Sourav Ganguly urges Gautam Gambhir to address Shreyas Iyer's ongoing exclusions from Test and T20I teams: 'He is prepared for every format'
3 days ago | 5 Views
Shreyas Iyer has asserted his dominance with an impressive exhibition of power hitting during the Punjab Kings' inaugural match in IPL 2025. His remarkable innings of an unbeaten 97 runs off just 42 balls was instrumental in securing an exhilarating 11-run victory for the Punjab Kings over the Gujarat Titans (GT) at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
Iyer's performance, featuring five fours and nine massive sixes, propelled his team to a challenging total of 243/6, which they successfully defended by limiting GT to 232/5.
Iyer's explosive performance did not go unnoticed, as former India captain and ex-BCCI president Sourav Ganguly praised the 30-year-old. On social media, Ganguly recognized Iyer as the 'most improved batsman' over the past year, highlighting his development into a player capable of excelling in all three formats of international cricket.
“Shreyas Iyer the most improved batsman in last 1 yr .. ready for all formats. Great to see his improvement after a few issues on length,” Ganguly shared on X.
Iyer's rough 2024
Although Iyer has been a consistent presence in India's ODI lineup, his roles in Test matches and T20 Internationals have been less stable. He faced a contentious exclusion from the Test squad in early 2024 but made a remarkable return in the Ranji Trophy. His significant contributions during the knockout rounds were instrumental in leading Mumbai to victory in the Ranji title for the 2023/24 season. Additionally, he bolstered his reputation by guiding the Kolkata Knight Riders to their third IPL championship in the same year.
Earlier this year, Iyer demonstrated exceptional form in the one-day format, playing a crucial role in securing the Champions Trophy for India.
Performances like his recent display against GT could pave the way for him to regain a permanent position across all formats.
Reflecting on his outstanding innings, Iyer expressed his joy, stating, “I’m ecstatic, to be honest. Scoring 97* in the first match is truly the icing on the cake. There’s no better feeling. It was crucial for me to adapt and move forward. I scored four runs off the first ball, which gave me a significant boost,” he remarked during the post-match presentation.
With this momentum, Iyer is now set to focus on the upcoming challenge against Punjab Kings, where they will face Rishabh Pant’s Lucknow Super Giants on April 1 in Lucknow.
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