India’s victorious Champions Trophy 2025 campaign was a collective team effort, with contributions from every player throughout the tournament. While star names like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma played pivotal roles, former cricketer Mohammad Kaif highlighted an unsung hero—Shreyas Iyer, India’s top run-scorer in the tournament.

Kaif praised Shreyas Iyer, who performed under pressure even though he is not a regular member of India’s Test or T20I teams. The 30-year-old batsman plays ODIs for India only, so he has to perform right away when picked.

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“I was surprised by his form. He neither plays Tests, nor is he in the T20I squad. He plays only ODIs for India. So you are not there in the team continuously. You have to straightaway play for India after playing in the Ranji Trophy for Mumbai, and in a zone where you have to attack, hit boundaries, and play your natural game,” Kaif told Star Sports.

Consistent Performances at No. 4

Shreyas Iyer scored 243 runs in five matches, more than 40 runs in all of India’s last four games. He scored important half-centuries against Pakistan and New Zealand in the group stage, demonstrating his consistency at No. 4.

His brilliant performance came after a great 2023 ODI World Cup run, during which he played 530 runs in 11 matches. India has been searching for ages for a No. 4 batsman who is consistent, but Shreyas Iyer has made his mark with match-winning performances.

“I admire him because many players came and went at the No. 4 position. We weren’t getting players for the No. 4 position. This guy came and made his place, and played impactful knocks,” Kaif said.

Overlooked for Individual Awards

Although the tournament’s second-highest run-scorer, Shreyas was given not a single ‘Man of the Match’. His match-winning performances and consistency earned him a strong chance at the ‘Player of the Tournament’ award, but New Zealand’s Rachin Ravindra was given the award.

“He is this tournament’s second-highest run-getter, but he didn’t get a single Man of the Match,” Kaif observed.

Celebrating in Style

Though ignored for personal credit, Shreyas contributed significantly towards India’s success. The match was celebrated in style by him as he added his own touch to the post-match celebration of the team. Though Virat Kohli avoided an imitation of his legendary ‘Gangnam Style’ dance that had taken place during the 2013 edition, Shreyas kept audiences entertained with his own style of dancing as India celebrated along with the trophy.

With regular performances in pressure tournaments, Shreyas Iyer has become an integral part of India’s ODI team, showing that he is far from being an unsung hero.