The following words are perhaps used too many times when it comes to sports writing – determined, single-mindedness, resolve, deep reservoirs of willpower, and many more. But as soon as you try to recall some evocative memories of Shreyas Iyer’s early career, those are the only terms that light up in the mind like a bulb. It isn’t an exaggeration, as right through his career, Shreyas has dispelled doubts over his shortcomings.
Many moons ago, in just his third Ranji Trophy game, Shreyas was up against Uttar Pradesh’s formidable attack comprising Praveen Kumar, Amit Mishra (pace bowler), Ankit Rajpoot and Piyush Chawla. At one point, Mumbai – the domestic side that Shreyas represents – were tottering at 57 for 6. The youngster, however, went on to essay a gutsy 75.
That was basically a blast from the past. In present times, at the age of 30, Iyer has enough credits in his bank. Recently, he led Punjab Kings to an IPL final. Although the Punjab side once again came second best in the summit clash, Iyer had shown his leadership qualities. On the individual front, he seems to have quietened his doubters by finding the missing screws in his batting template against the short ball.
Despite all that, Shreyas is still halfway in his pursuit to fulfill his potential. His next target is to return to India’s set-up for the shortest format. Will the selectors trust the experienced batter for the upcoming Asia Cup? If so, what should be his batting position in the line-up?
Just pore through his numbers in the IPL, it gives an idea of his preferred batting positions: 1804 runs at the No.3 slot and 1180 runs at No.4. At the No.4 position, he ended up with an impressive strike rate of 176.9 in the 2025 IPL. In the Qualifier 2 game versus the fancied Mumbai Indians, he also composed a game-breaking 41-ball 87 to steer his side to a memorable victory.
So, the statistics suggest Shreyas should bat at the No.4 slot. But there is a small catch to it. Currently, that position is held by Suryakumar Yadav, the India captain. There is very little chance of the India skipper vacating his batting slot for another player. With Tilak Varma expected to continue at No.3, hypothetically, Shreyas might have to bat at five.
The argument for Shreyas at five would be he has the required nous of batting in the prevailing conditions in the UAE: He proved to be a vital cog in India’s Champions Trophy triumph this year. Even if we consider the ODI format to showcase Shreyas’ attributes, he compiled those crucial knocks while batting at four. In a nutshell, we are back to square one as far as gauging whether Shreyas would fit into India’s playing XI in a T20I side.
The other option for the Indian think-tank is to select Rinku Singh in the squad and allow him to play at five. But Shreyas was clearly in better form in the IPL. Hardik Pandya, the all-rounder, could also throw his hat into the ring. The all-rounder has occupied the No.5 position 47 times in T20Is. In that context, Shreyas could still take over the No.3 slot, with Tilak being left out. Even though it would be unfair on Tilak.
Somewhere the heart says Shreyas Iyer has the unstinting belief to play at different positions – from 3 to 5 – in the UAE. The brain may still counter it with some number-crunching. In such circumstances, it is better to listen to your gut feel, whatever it could be. Perhaps a cue for the Indian selectors.
For all updates on the Asia Cup, follow RevSportz