Shreyas Iyer, a key figure in India's Champions Trophy 2025 triumph, has opened up about his mixed emotions despite recent success. His stellar performances in the middle order were instrumental in India's victory.
Iyer, who led Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to their third IPL title in 2024, feels sometimes his efforts go unnoticed.
Iyer expresses both satisfaction and sense of being overlooked
In the Champions Trophy, Iyer was the second-highest run-scorer with 243 runs. Speaking to the Times of India, he expressed both satisfaction and a sense of being overlooked.
"Extremely satisfying. To be honest, it has been a journey, and I have learnt a lot in this phase of my life, where I got out of the contract after playing the 2023 ODI World Cup. I reassessed where I went wrong, what I should be doing, how well I need to focus on my fitness. I asked myself all these questions, prepared a routine, and started focussing on my training and the skills I added side by side," Shreyas Iyer told Times of India.
"Once I got continuous matches in domestic cricket, I figured out how important fitness was for me, especially when I raised my concerns at the start of the year. Overall I am extremely happy with myself… the way I came out of this, the way I handled the situation and most importantly I believed in myself," he added.
Shreyas Iyer addressed lack of recognition for his contributions
"When I talk about recognition, it’s about getting that respect. It was about the respect for whatever efforts I put on the field. I think sometimes it gets unnoticed but extremely satisfied with the efforts I put in because they weren't easy wickets to bat on," said Shreyas Iyer.
"It wasn’t easy to take singles, especially when the bowlers were bowling so tight. I just had the belief in myself that once I get two sixes here or there, I can change the momentum towards our side. Luckily, I got them at crucial times," he added.
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) opted not to retain Iyer for IPL 2025, and he was subsequently picked up by Punjab Kings in the mega auction, where he was named captain. With Punjab Kings in IPL 2025, Iyer remains determined to let his performances speak for themselves.