Just four days after India captain Shubman Gill completed 3,000 ODI runs in Dharamsala, vice-captain Shreyas Iyer followed suit in the second ODI against Afghanistan in Lucknow, adding another significant milestone to his impressive white-ball career.
Iyer’s latest landmark further underlines the strength of India’s batting core as the middle-order batter became one of the fastest Indians to reach the 3,000-run mark in One-Day Internationals.
The Mumbai batter reached the milestone during India’s commanding batting display against Afghanistan, joining an elite list of Indian batters who have combined consistency with rapid scoring throughout their ODI careers.
Shreyas Iyer Matches Shikhar Dhawan’s Record
Iyer reached 3,000 ODI runs in his 72nd innings, equalling former India opener Shikhar Dhawan on the list of fastest Indians to the landmark by innings played.
Only Shubman Gill has reached the milestone quicker among Indian batters.
Fewest Innings to 3000 ODI Runs for India
| Player | Innings |
|---|---|
| Shubman Gill | 62 |
| Shikhar Dhawan | 72 |
| Shreyas Iyer | 72 |
| Virat Kohli | 75 |
| KL Rahul | 78 |
| Navjot Sidhu | 79 |
The achievement places Iyer ahead of some of India’s greatest ODI batters, including Virat Kohli, who needed 75 innings to get to the milestone.
One of India’s Fastest Scorers
While Gill’s rise has rewritten several ODI records over the past few years, Iyer’s achievement becomes even more impressive when measured by balls faced.
The right-hander from Mumbai reached 3,000 runs after facing just 3,049 deliveries, making him the third-fastest Indian batter to the mark in terms of balls consumed.
Fastest to 3000 ODI Runs for India (By Balls Faced)
| Player | Balls Faced |
|---|---|
| Kapil Dev | ~2995 |
| Shubman Gill | 3016 |
| Shreyas Iyer | 3049 |
| Virender Sehwag | 3164 |
The list highlights the attacking nature of Iyer’s batting. Unlike many middle-order players who often arrive after the powerplay, Iyer has maintained an aggressive scoring rate while also delivering consistency.
Fastest to 3000 ODI Runs in world cricket
| Player | Innings | Team | Date Reached |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hashim Amla | 57 | South Africa | August 2012 |
| Shubman Gill | 62 | India | June 2026 |
| Shai Hope | 67 | West Indies | December 2019 |
| Fakhar Zaman | 67 | Pakistan | April 2023 |
| Imam-ul-Haq | 67 | Pakistan | October 2023 |
| Babar Azam | 68 | Pakistan | June 2019 |
| Viv Richards | 69 | West Indies | May 1984 |
Gill and Iyer Leading India’s New ODI Era
In the opening ODI against Afghanistan in Dharamshala, India captain Gill became the fastest Indian to 3,000 ODI runs, reaching the landmark in just 62 innings. Four days later in Lucknow, his vice-captain joined the same club.
Talking about his performance in the second ODI against Afghanistan in Lucknow, Iyer played a cameo of 26 off 24 balls, including one six and a four, before getting dismissed by spinner Nangeyalia Kharoti. Team India, meanwhile, were bundled out for 402 in 49.5 overs, setting a daunting target of 403 for the visitors to chase.