'He didn't get a single Man of the Match': Indian star's unsung role in Champions Trophy gets Kaif's attention

'He didn't get a single Man of the Match': Indian star's unsung role in Champions Trophy gets Kaif's attention

'He didn't get a single Man of the Match': Indian star's unsung role in Champions Trophy gets Kaif's attention ByHT Sports Desk Mar 11, 2025 05:39 PM IST Share Via Copy Link Mohammad Kaif pointed out the Indian star's unsung role in Champions Trophy triumph with the bat.

Shreyas Iyer made a massive impact in India's incredible Champions Trophy triumph as he was the second-leading run-getter in the tournament. Iyer, who has been out of the Test and T20I set-up, returned to the ODI team for the England series and Champions Trophy, and he proved that he is the best number 4 batter in the world at the moment. The stylish batter worked on his batting in domestic cricket, and since his return, he has registered seven 40+ plus scores in the last eight matches. He rescued India from tricky situations in the Champions Trophy semifinal and final, stabilising the innings with 45 and 48-run knocks, respectively.

Axar Patel and Shreyas Iyer were India's backbone with the bat during the Champions Trophy 2025 title triumph.(REUTERS)

Former India batter Mohammad Kaif was highly impressed with Iyer's comeback and scoring consistently well despite not playing Tests and T20Is in the past few months.

"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.

The 30-year-old was India's leading run-getter in the Champions Trophy, with 243 runs in five matches. His 48-run knock in the final was pivotal for India to secure another ICC title as he stabilised the innings when the Men in Blue lost Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in quick succession.

Kaif expressed his admiration for Iyer for owning the number 4 position where India were struggling to get the right fit for the past few years. The former cricketer also pointed out that Iyer played an unsung role in the tournament, as he didn't receive any Player of the Match award but finished second highest run-getter.

"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.