Shreyas Iyer marked his comeback to the Indian team in the ODI format. After being the team’s top scorer in the Champions Trophy, Iyer was back in the ODI line-up for the series against Australia. He didn’t start the series well,
But in the second game, he brought up a brilliant half-century, stitching a partnership with Rohit Sharma. India still went on to lose the game by just 2 wickets, putting his knock in vain. During the post-match conference, Shreyas Iyer talked about the break he has taken from red-ball cricket.
1. Iyer on His Break
Before Shreyas Iyer made his comeback to the Indian team, he was keen to prove himself in the Test format. For this, he participated in several red ball domestic tournaments. He was a part of the India A team in the series against Australia A. Before that,
Just when the Indian team was close to announcing its squad for the two-match Test series against the West Indies, Iyer approached the BCCI. He informed the selectors that he will be taking a break from red-ball cricket for some time. When asked for the reason behind this break, he said it was due to mental fatigue and fitness issues.
While no official statement for the same came from Shreyas Iyer or the BCCI, fans had various questions in their minds. After missing out on the Test series, Iyer marked his comeback to the Indian team with the ODI series against Australia. He also played his first-ever game for the team after the Champions Trophy 2025,
Iyer went to the post-match conference after the second ODI. He mentioned that on his return to red ball cricket, his intensity level went down after fielding for a few overs. Noting the importance of intensity at the international level, he decided to take a break from red ball cricket.
2. Shreyas Iyer in Tests
The Test format is known to be one that Iyer wanted to play for a long time. But now it seems that the fitness issues have taken over him, and might restrict him to the limited overs for the next few months. Playing just 14 Tests for the Indian team, Shreyas Iyer looked promising to the selectors.
Shreyas Iyer in Tests:
- Innings: 24
- Not Out: 2
- Runs: 811
- Average: 36.86
- Strike Rate: 63.01
- 100s: 1
- 50s: 5
He made his Test debut for the Indian team in 2021, in the clash against New Zealand at Kanpur. Although the match resulted in a draw, Iyer showcased his intent on his debut. He ended up scoring 105 runs in the first innings, which was followed by 65 runs in the second. In his debut game, Iyer received the POTM award.
Shreyas Iyer in First Class Matches:
- Innings: 140
- Not Out: 6
- Runs: 6408
- Average: 47.82
- Strike Rate: 78.85
- 100s: 15
- 50s: 33
And it should be noted that Shreyas Iyer marked his last appearance in the Test format in 2024. It was in the Test series against England, where Iyer failed to create his mark. In the second Test of the series, he scored 27 runs in the first innings, which was followed by 29 runs in the second innings. Eventually, he was not picked for the remaining three games.
3. Iyer’s 2025 ODI Domination
While the Test format may not have favoured Shreyas Iyer, the ODI format has been his favourite lately. This can be known by the fans who have watched almost every ODI game played by the Indian team this year. Whether the team has a series against England or the Champions Trophy, Iyer has stepped up.
Shreyas Iyer in ODIs in 2025:
- Innings: 10
- Not Out: 0
- Runs: 496
- Average: 49.60
- Strike Rate: 89.53
- 100s: 0
- 50s: 5
Shreyas showcased his potential to the Indian team in the Champions Trophy. Despite the CT 2025 being his first appearance in the tournament, he finished as the highest run scorer for the Indian team. Iyer scored 243 runs in 5 matches at an average of 48.60, with two half-centuries. This also helped him to finish as India’s highest run scorer in the tournament.