ODI World Cup: India’s middle order in One-day International cricket has been a cause of worry for years, ever since their 2019 World Cup run was cut short in the semifinal against New Zealand. Even as Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, among others, gave India solidity at the top, the No. 4 spot has remained a conundrum.But in the last few years, India have discovered a crucial piece that completes the jigsaw — a trusted solution for their troubles. Shreyas Iyer has turned out as the answer to their prayers, a batter who not only complements the star-studded top-order but has grown into one of the simplest middle-order batters in world cricket.
Scores of 59, 44, 78, 15, 56, 79, 45 – these have been compiled by Shreyas Iyer in his last seven innings, all coming while batting in the middle-order. In the 2023 World Cup, the 30-year-old Iyer had a wonderful campaign, scoring 530 runs, including two hundreds at a strike rate of 113. He has been very consistent in ODIs. Since 2022, Iyer has appeared in 40 matches at No. 4. In the ongoing Champions Trophy, Iyer has registered 195 runs in four innings, along with a 48.75 average and 79 the highest.
He has had 40 outings at No. 4 since 2022, scoring 1,773 runs — the fifth most runs in the world for that position — an average of 52.14 and a strike rate of 100.45, the best of the top five middle-order batters.
“He is the most dependent member of the Mumbai squad that we have currently in both red-ball and white-ball cricket, and this season too he has been performing quite well. The position that he bats in is very hard to bat in; you have to look for runs with a good pace, and you need to hold the wickets, too. And he has been performing for the national team, too, in that position, so he has the mindset of what a middle-order batter should have.
“I believe middle-order batting is a thankless job that a batter does, and Shreyas bhai has been doing it for years for India. We all saw what he did in the 2023 ODI World Cup, he stepped up for the country in important clashes,” Mumbai cricketer Shiddesh Lad told IANS during the Mumbai vs Services clash in Ranji Trophy at Palam A Ground in November 2024.
Iyer’s mastery over spin was on display against Pakistan and New Zealand in the ongoing Champions Trophy, where he neutralised the spinners with his swift feet and controlled aggression. He wonky-crossed the crease, created space off the leg side, and stepped out with swagger, guaranteeing that India never lacked a punch in the middle. He has also shown that the art of defence is not dead as he frequently finds himself among the top run-getters against spin bowlers.
“The best part of his batting is his attacking nature against spinners and rotating strike, something which a middle order should have. He has that unnatural way of playing the shots, shuffling around the crease, going on the leg side, and then finding the gaps. India has been struggling for middle-order batters in the ODI format. I think in the long run, Shreyas bhai can be the solution,” he said.
While Iyer’s fluency is much discussed, the Champions Trophy has also offered a new dimension to his game: adaptability. In slow, turning tracks in Dubai, Iyer has played a more old-fashioned ODI role, digging deep and being the anchor when required. He even scored his career’s slowest fifty in this tournament, showing that he can modify his approach depending on the situation. He scored a calm half-century to rescue India from a perilous 30 for 3 against New Zealand, and in the high-pressure clash with Pakistan, he and Virat Kohli steadied the innings before belting towards the finish line at the right time.
Iyer’s place in India’s white-ball setup was under threat earlier this year, despite his stellar record. Since the team management wanted to bring in a left-handed option in the middle-order, he was dropped for a few matches. If Kohli had not ruined his knee at a time when he was lined up for a series against England, Iyer would not have made the team at all. But when he had the chance to seize an opportunity, he did not waste it.
Iyer, who affirmed his credentials as a red-ball player in the Ranji Trophy season 2024-25 by scoring a double-century (233) against Odisha — his highest score in first-class cricket — alongside a century (142) against Maharashtra, also played a key role in Mumbai’s Irani Trophy win with a 116-run knock.
Since February 2022, Iyer has been not just one of India’s most prolific run-getters but also one of the most impactful. His non-powerplay-over averages and strike rate rank him among the top five batters from Full-Member nations, behind only the likes of Heinrich Klaasen and Aiden Markram. He has provided India the stability it needed in the middle order and at the same time the acceleration when necessary — as Rohit Sharma does at the top of the order.
Iyer, who affirmed his credentials as a red-ball player in the Ranji Trophy season 2024-25 by scoring a double-century (233) against Odisha — his highest score in first-class cricket — alongside a century (142) against Maharashtra, also played a key role in Mumbai’s Irani Trophy win with a 116-run knock.
Article Source: IANS