"Shreyas Iyer against New Zealand is guaranteed success" - Fans laud India batter's 79-run knock in IND vs NZ Champions Trophy 2025 match

Shreyas Iyer kept up with the team’s and fans’ expectations when he walked out to bat in India’s 2025 Champions Trophy match against New Zealand on Sunday (March 2). The two sides locked horns in the last group-stage game of the tournament at the Dubai International Stadium.

Iyer walked out to bat very early in the innings, in the sixth over, after India’s top-order faltered. Openers Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill walked back to the dugout in quick succession inside the first six overs, and Virat Kohli followed them soon.

With that, the Kiwis had three Indian wickets in hand within the first powerplay. Shreyas Iyer and Axar Patel then forged a formidable partnership, though a bit slow initially. The duo changed gears eventually, with both finding the gaps at regular intervals to keep the runs coming.

Fans were impressed with Iyer’s knock, which came to an end in the 37th over as he was dismissed after scoring a 98-ball 79.

Here are a few reactions on X:

“Unpopular opinion, but Shreyas Iyer is truly an underrated player and never gets the hype he deserves,” wrote a fan.

The above fan also wrote:

“1. Got dropped from the central contract. 2. Battled through surgery and recovery 3. Got a chance to play only because Virat was injured. 4. Improved with every match, proving his worth. That’s Shreyas Iyer for you 🫶🏻”

“Shreyas Iyer might not always be in the spotlight, but his talent is undeniable! From his classy shots to his solid performances, he consistently proves he can turn the game around,” tweeted another fan.

“IN THE CURRENT INDIAN TEAM:- Shreyas Iyer is only the legit ODI player who can play against any team and on any pitch,” stated a user.

Shreyas Iyer notches his sixth 50+ score against New Zealand in ODIs

Shreyas Iyer has been sensational against New Zealand in ODIs whenever he has walked out to bat. In just eight ODI innings against the Kiwis, the Indian middle-order batter has six 50+ scores to his name, including two centuries.

His scores against New Zealand in ODIs read- 103, 52, 62, 80, 49, 33, 105, 79 (today).

In the ongoing match, Iyer fell to a short ball by William O' Rourke and was caught by Will Young.