Shreyas Iyer makes big statement before India’s squad selection for Champions Trophy 2025, says ‘I’m flexible to bat…’

Batter Shreyas Iyer has thrown his hat into the ring ahead of India's squad announcement for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, starting next month in Pakistan and Dubai. While six teams have already announced their squads, India and Pakistan are the two only teams yet to name their final 15-member teams.

The right-hander, who was recently named the captain of Punjab Kings for the upcoming Indian Premier League season, has been India's mainstay in the middle-order in the 50-over format.

In the ODI World Cup 2023, Iyer scored 530 runs from 11 matches including two hundreds and three half-centuries. One of the consistent batters for India, Iyer's ability to anchor the innings, provided with brilliant fielding abilities makes him a no-brainer in any side.

While the Indian team scheduled to announce their Champions Trophy 2025 squad around January 18-19, the Mumbai batter has declared that he is ready to bat anywhere in the batting line-up, if selected.

“I'm flexible and ready to bat anywhere in the batting order,” Iyer to EspnCricinfo. "KL (Rahul) and I, we played that important role in the middle during the World Cup. We had a great season together.

"It was just the last bit (the final against Australia) that we couldn't execute the way we wanted to. It will be a proud moment for me if I were to be picked in the Champions Trophy (squad) to represent the country,” he said ahead of Mumbai's next Ranji Trophy assignment.

Iyer was part of the Indian team that played only three ODIs in 2024 against Sri Lanka. Post the Lanka ODIs, Iyer has been in tremendous form in domestic cricket in the ongoing season.

Shreyas Iyer in 2024-25 domestic season

In the Ranji Trophy 2024-25, Iyer has so far amassed 452 runs from four games, including two centuries. He also smashed a couple of tons in the Vijay Hazare Trophy and one in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, which Mumbai won under Iyer's leadership.