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R Ashwin praised Shreyas Iyer and backed him to be India’s gamechanger in the final.© AFP
The partnership of Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer has worked wonders for the India in the run up to the Champions Trophy 2025 final. Kohli has been in sizzling touch, as seen from his unbeaten hundred against Pakistan and an 84 in the semi-final against Australia. Similarly, Iyer has adapted well to Dubai’s slow and low pitches and is among the best middle-order batters in the tournament, if not the best. With India set to take New Zealand in the final on Saturday, Kohli and Iyer have been touted to hold the key for Rohit Sharma‘s side.
Former India all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin praised Iyer and backed him to be the team’s gamechanger in the final.
“For me, the game-changer will be Shreyas Iyer. It is because of his recent form. This guy has had an excellent 2023 World Cup. He has batted well against New Zealand. He has played well at the Wankhede in Mumbai. And once again, in this tournament, he has looked crackerjack. He has worked well on his short-ball game as well. Of course, he got out in the last game. But it shouldn’t matter. I think this is Shreyas Iyer’s biggest strength. He wants to get better at what he is not good at,” Ashwin said on his Hindi YouTube channel ‘Ash Ki Baat‘.
Ashwin explained why India head coach Gautam Gambhir rates Ashwin so highly, highlighting how he has taken the entire pressure off Kohli.
“The way he plays, it helps Virat Kohli. There was a question with Gauti in the press conference. What was the conversation with Virat? Because he got out against a leg-spinner. Gauti gave an amazing answer. The guy has played 300 games. Obviously, he will get out. But apart from that, there is one thing: Virat Kohli is able to play the way he is playing because Shreyas Iyer is playing this way against spin.”
“So, the captains are in a catch-22 situation. There will be a partnership between Shreyas and Virat. When there is a partnership between Virat and Shreyas, the captains can’t enforce a spin choke. Shreyas is removing all the pressure from Virat. So, these two in the middle overs have forged a formidable pair. And for Virat’s success, Shreyas Iyer has played a part in it. And for Shreyas’s success, Virat has a part in it. Because this is what people call playing in partnerships,” the veteran added.
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