Team India batter Shreyas Iyer has expressed his willingness to adapt to any batting position in the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025, emphasizing his commitment to the team’s success. In an interview with ESPN Cricinfo, Iyer reflected on his crucial role in India’s strong 2023 ODI World Cup campaign, where he and KL Rahul played significant middle-order roles, contributing to the team’s remarkable run to the final.
Iyer, who scored 530 runs at an average of 66.25 and a strike rate of 113.24 during the World Cup, acknowledged his recent struggles in ODIs. However, he remains optimistic about his future contributions and said, “I’m flexible and ready to bat anywhere in the batting order. KL Rahul and I played a crucial role in the middle order during the World Cup. We had an excellent season together, although we couldn’t quite finish as we hoped in the final. It would be a great honor for me to be selected for the Champions Trophy and represent my country.”
In addition to his international commitments, Iyer also discussed his upcoming role with Punjab Kings in the IPL 2025. Desiring to anchor the innings at No. 3, he aims to be a stabilizing force, batting until the 15-16th over.
“I aim to be the anchor for the team, typically batting at No. 3, where I can settle in and play until the 15th or 16th over, finishing the innings on a strong note,” Iyer stated. His solid IPL career, which includes over 3,000 runs at an average of 32.24 and a strike rate of 127.48, has led to his acquisition by PBKS for a massive ₹26.75 crore.
Iyer also addressed misconceptions about his IPL 2024 performance with Kolkata Knight Riders, where he scored 351 runs at a strike rate of nearly 147. He added, “I feel that I’m flexible. I can bat at any position, as I did at KKR, but still some people think that my numbers weren’t that great.” Despite this, Iyer helped KKR secure their third IPL title.
