"It's good no one agreed with our keyboard warriors" - Former India opener lauds Shreyas Iyer's knock in IND vs ENG 2025 1st ODI

Former India opener Aakash Chopra has lauded Shreyas Iyer for silencing his critics with a belligerent half-century in the first ODI against England in Nagpur on Thursday, February 6. He pointed out that naysayers were questioning the middle-order batter's place in India's squad and playing XI.

The Men in Blue bundled England out for 248 after Jos Buttler opted to bat first. Shreyas smashed 59 runs off 36 deliveries in the chase as the hosts achieved the target with four wickets and 68 deliveries to spare to start the three-match series with a win.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra', the cricketer-turned-commentator praised the Indian team management for sticking with Shreyas despite the negative atmosphere created around him.

"Shreyas Iyer is an important topic because Indian cricket is going very differently. It is driven a lot by the atmosphere, and the atmosphere had been created whether Iyer would be selected, whether Iyer should be played, and why shouldn't Iyer also be dropped," he said (7:05).

"I said are you going mad? It's good no one agreed with our keyboard warriors. No one agrees with what they say and shouldn't as well because the atmosphere was for Gill not to be played. When he became the vice-captain, they said it's confirmed now that he might play. Iyer scored 500 runs in the last World Cup, played first-class cricket, and scored runs there as well," Chopra added.

In a post-match interview, Shreyas disclosed that he wasn't supposed to play the first ODI against England. However, Virat Kohli's knee injury ahead of the game helped the Mumbaikar get a place in the playing XI.

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"He was tested with bouncers" - Aakash Chopra lauds Shreyas Iyer's game against the short ball in IND vs ENG 2025 1st ODI

Shreyas Iyer struck nine fours and two sixes during his 59-run knock. [P/C: BCCI]

In the same video, Aakash Chopra appreciated Shreyas Iyer's game against the short ball in Thursday's match.

"When he got to bat, two guys had gotten out early. So he was tested with bouncers. He hit a short ball over midwicket for a six. Another short ball, and a six over third man, and then pull and cut shots one after the other. He was very, very good," he said (7:40).

The analyst added that Shreyas' aggressive approach helped India's cause and made the England bowlers' job difficult.

"The pace at which he scored runs, of course, India won easily in the end, but it allowed you time. The opposing team's plans get totally derailed when you play with that dominance. I think this knock from Shreyas Iyer will go a long way," Chopra observed.

To conclude, Chopra opined that the ODI is Shreyas' best format, much like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. He pointed out that while the 30-year-old is decent in Tests and T20Is, he is at home in the ODI format.