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After clinching the five-match T20I series by 4-1 margin against England, the action has now shifted towards the 50-over format, seeing the crucial ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 ahead. However, the Men in Blue have taken a 1-0 lead in the three-match ODI series against England after winning the opening match by four wickets, they will aim to continue their dominating run with the next two matches scheduled to be played on February 9 and 12 in Cuttack and Ahmedabad, respectively.
While vice-captain Shubman Gill, along with Shreyas Iyer and Axar Patel starred with the bat, debutant Harshit Rana and Ravindra Jadeja did the talking with the ball. Although, Shubman Gill’s match-winning knock of 87 proved vital, middle-order batter Shreyas Iyer’s return to form also grabbed several eyeballs. Among many, former India cricketer turned commentator, Sanjay Manjrekar specifically hailed Iyer’s return to international cricket.
If domestic cricket has helped him to just get into the groove…: Sanjay Manjrekar takes indirect hit at senior cricketers
Hailing Iyer’s 36-ball 59, Manjrekar called his innings as a “well-oiled” one. Speaking with ESPNCricinfo, Manjrekar said, "The way he batted today, just the technique and the ball hitting that was happening, it was very very compact, and a very good innings like a well-oiled machinery.” He further took an indirect jibe at senior cricketers, while citing Iyer’s return to domestic cricket as the perfect example for his return to form.
“If domestic cricket has helped him to just get into the groove, then all the arguments that we are hearing about the big names not playing domestic cricket, here's an example. Because Shreyas Iyer, the way he played, I'm sure there is some connection with him playing those domestic matches," said Manjrekar. It is to be noted that Shreyas Iyer returned to international cricket after nearly six months.
On his return, he played an impressive knock of 59 runs with his innings being laced with nine boundaries and two maximums. He stitched a crucial 94-run stand with Shubman Gill to take out India from a precarious 19/2. Speaking of his return to domestic cricket after receiving several backlash, he did not have a memorable beginning as he registered 154 runs from six innings in Duleep Trophy.
However, he bounced back, scoring 480 runs from seven innings, including two century knocks in Ranji trophy. He also amassed 345 runs from eight innings at an average of 49.28 in Mumbai’s Syed Mushtaq Ali trophy 2024-25, followed by smashing 325 runs from five innings, including two hundred in Vijay Hazare Trophy.
