“The importance of a No. 4 batter is evident here” - Former India batter’s huge statement on Shreyas Iyer after IND vs NZ 2025 Champions Trophy match

Former India batter Ambati Rayudu has heaped praise on Shreyas Iyer after his brilliant half-century in the 2025 Champions Trophy clash against New Zealand on Sunday, March 2, in Dubai. Shreyas' valuable knock came after the Men In Blue had lost early wickets upfront.

Batting first, they were reduced to 30/3 before the 30-year-old came to the rescue. He scored 79 runs off 98 balls including four boundaries and a couple of sixes as India eventually got to 249/9 and went on to win the game by 44 runs.

Rayudu observed that Shreyas displayed the importance of a No.4 batter in ODIs with his rescue knock.

“The importance of a No. 4 batsman is evident here. You need someone to play such crucial innings when the top order fails, especially on challenging surfaces that are not easy to bat on. That’s where No. 4 and No. 5 become critical in an ODI game. Shreyas played an amazing innings, and his partnership with Axar Patel was crucial," he said on JioHotstar (via The Indian Express).

Shreyas Iyer initially took his time and proceeded to play his shots once he was well set. The right-hander has been in solid form recently and has carried the same into the ongoing Champions Trophy. Rayudu further praised Shreyas for the ease with which he batted on a challenging surface.

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"He's been a champion at No.4" - Rayudu lauds Shreyas Iyer for his impact

In the same discussion, Ambati Rayudu also talked about how Shreyas Iyer played the short ball well and handled spin commendably too.

“He handled short balls well until he got out and played spin beautifully, using the crease and angles to his advantage. He picked the pace of the ball much better than many others in the Indian lineup," he said.

The right-hander has cemented his position at No.4 with consistent performances since his return to the Indian team.

“It was an unbelievable knock, and he’s been a champion at No. 4. We don’t talk about him enough, but he has had a great impact on this Indian side," Rayudu added.

India will play Australia in the first semifinal on Tuesday, March 4, at the same venue.