Shreyas Iyer last turned out for India in a T20I on December 3, 2023, against Australia in Bengaluru. Batting at No. 3, he scored a fluent 53 from 37 balls. Despite that effort, he didn’t get another opportunity in the shortest format.
However, Iyer made the most of every other stage that came his way. He emerged as India’s leading run-scorer in the Champions Trophy 2025. Later, in the IPL, he had his best-ever season, scoring 604 runs in 17 matches for Punjab Kings after being signed for ₹26.75 crore in the mega auction.
Aakash Chopra Bats for Iyer’s Return
Former India opener Aakash Chopra, now a commentator and analyst, has been impressed with Iyer’s resurgence. According to him, Iyer was India’s most dominant batter in the middle overs during the Champions Trophy and deserves another look from the selectors.
“Shreyas Iyer deserves to be talked about because in the Champions Trophy no Indian handled the middle overs better than him. He attacked at will, found boundaries easily, and eased pressure on his partners,” Chopra said on his YouTube channel.
He also pointed to Iyer’s standout IPL season. “This was his best IPL ever. We’ve often seen T20I selections influenced by IPL form—be it Rinku Singh, Sanju Samson, or Varun Chakaravarthy. By that standard, Shreyas Iyer has done enough to be back.”
Tilak Varma the Biggest Obstacle
Despite his support for Iyer, Chopra admitted that the Mumbai batter faces stiff competition from Tilak Varma.
“We’ve built a strong case for Shreyas, but Tilak has been exceptional at No. 3 and No. 4. Since moving up the order, he has been unstoppable. His numbers don’t suggest he’s done anything wrong,” Chopra explained.
Tilak only strengthened his case with back-to-back T20I centuries against South Africa last year.
“He also gives India the option of a left-right combination. Would you really drop Tilak? Iyer’s best spot is No. 3 or No. 4, but Surya is already at No. 4. Batting Iyer at No. 5 in T20 cricket might not be ideal,” Chopra concluded.
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