CT: Karthik picks Iyer as India's Player of the Tournament
What's the story
Former Indian cricketer Dinesh Karthik has named Shreyas Iyer as India's Player of the Tournament in the recently concluded Champions Trophy 2025. The eight-team tournament was hosted across three venues in Pakistan and one in Dubai. Iyer stood out by playing all five matches and scoring a total of 243 runs with two half-centuries, making him India's top run-scorer in this international event. Here's more.
Recognition
Karthik's praise for Iyer's performance
During an episode of Cricbuzz's HeyCB with DK show, Karthik was asked to name India's player of the tournament. He said, "Shreyas Iyer. Most consistent, under pressure, got runs every game." This recognition speaks volumes about Iyer's contribution to the team's success in the tournament. His consistent performance under pressure was instrumental in India's strong showing in this prestigious event.
Match impact
Iyer's contributions in key matches
Batting at No. 4 for the Rohit Sharma-led side, Iyer made important contributions in important matches. He scored 15 runs from 17 balls in the first Group A match against Bangladesh on February 20 and played a key role by scoring 56 runs to help India chase down a target of 242 against Pakistan on February 23. His performance was key to India's dominance as one of the top teams in this tournament.
Steady contribution
Iyer's consistent performance throughout the tournament
Iyer's contributions went beyond just key matches. In a Group A match against New Zealand on March 2, he scored an impressive 79 runs, helping India post a total of 249 runs. The score proved enough for India's victory in the match. Iyer also continued his consistent performance by scoring 45 runs from 62 balls in the semi-final against Australia and another solid performance of scoring 48 runs from 62 balls in the final against New Zealand.
ODI numbers
Iyer's numbers in ODIs
After his stellar run in the Champions Trophy, the batter has now raced to 2,845 runs at an average of 48.22. Across 65 innings, he boasts a strike rate of 100, alongside five hundreds and 22 fifties. According to ESPNcricinfo, his highest ODI score is 128*, which he smashed against the Netherlands in the 2023 World Cup. Notably, he is also currently the third-highest scorer in ODIs this year, with 424 runs in eight innings.
Record
Iyer scripts this record in Champions Trophy 2025
As per ESPNcricinfo, Iyer's tally of 243 runs is now the best by a player operating at number four or lower in a Champions Trophy edition. He narrowly went past Australia's Damien Martyn, who made 241 runs in the 2006 edition. England's Joe Root, who made 225 runs in CT 2025, is the only other middle-order batter with 210-plus runs in this regard. Overall, Iyer aggregated the fifth-most runs by a non-opener in a CT edition.