Star India batter Shreyas Iyer continued to own the number four spot in ODIs as he scored a brilliant half-century during the third match against England on Wednesday, February 12 at Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad. Shreyas Iyer played a quick-fire innings of 78 off just 64 balls as he carried his rich form from domestic cricket.
Shreyas Iyer’s innings was studded with eight fours and two sixes as he registered his second fifty-plus score of the series. Shreyas Iyer walked in to bat after India lost Virat Kohli with 122 runs on the board and looked comfortable at the crease right from the get-go. He got off the mark on his very first ball and scored his first boundary against Adil Rashid.
From there on, Shreyas Iyer got into the groove and began taking on bowlers, putting his aggressive strokeplay on display. He was well-supported by Shubman Gill, who was set at the crease and was aiming for his century. Shreyas Iyer took the attack to Gus Atkinson and Saqib Mahmood in the middle overs to keep the run-flow going.
He brought up his half-century off 43 deliveries and looked set for a big score. Shreyas Iyer and Gill added 104 runs for the third wicket off 93 balls as England captain Jos Buttler ran out of options to stop them. Gill brought up his seventh ODI hundred, scoring 112 (102) with the help of 14 fours and three sixes.
Shreyas Iyer’s marvelous run at no 4 spot in the Indian team
Shreyas Iyer’s innings came to an end as he got his stumps dismantled by Adil Rashid. However, Iyer continued his innings and shifted gears after reaching the 50-run mark. He began dealing in boundaries and was marching towards his century. Iyer was unfortunately dismissed on 78 (64) getting strangled down the leg side against Rashid.
Shreyas Iyer continued his prolific run at the number four spot as he boasts a phenomenal average of 53.40 at the batting position since the beginning of the ODI World Cup 2023. Iyer has scored 801 runs from 18 innings with a strike rate of 1114.59 with two hundreds and six fifties. However Shreyas Iyer’s disappointment after scoring 78 was visibly seen as he expressed the same after the match.
Shreyas Iyer expresses disappointment after being dismissed for 78 in 3rd ODI vs ENG
Team India batter Shreyas Iyer expressed his disappointment after missing out on a hundred in the third ODI between India and England on Wednesday, February 12, in Ahmedabad.
Batting first, the Men in Blue posted a solid total of 356, led by a stunning 112 knock from Shubman Gill. Iyer was the second highest-scorer with 78 off 64, including eight fours and a couple of sixes.
In a post-match interview, Shreyas Iyer rued the fact that he could not get to the three-figure mark.
“Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli laid a great platform and that helped me to excel. I wish I could have got a hundred,” Iyer said (via Cricbuzz).
Nonetheless, he played a crucial knock as India won by 142 runs, completing a 3-0 whitewash. India next travel to Dubai for the 2025 Champions Trophy.
Shreyas Iyer’s fine form a huge boost for India ahead of 2025 Champions Trophy
Shreyas Iyer has made the No.4 position in the Indian ODI team his own with his consistent displays throughout the series against England. He smashed a 36-ball 59 in the first game in Nagpur.
In the second, the right-hander Iyer scored 44 off 47 before backing it up with a 78-run knock in the final ODI in Ahmedabad. He ended he series as the second highest run-getter with 181 runs in three matches at an average of 60.33 and strike rate of 123.12 with two half-centuries.
Iyer’s consistent performance and form with the bat coms as a huge boost for the Indian team ahead of the 2025 Champions Trophy. The No. 4 position is an important position, and with the right-hander doing well there, he will be confident as well going into the marquee ICC event. His time in domestic cricket helped him improve his game significantly, which has translated on the international stage as well.
Shreyas Iyer’s form is a great sign for India heading into the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 where they will start their campaign against Bangladesh on 20th February in Dubai.