India and Australia, two giants of world cricket, are set to clash in the semi-finals of 2025 Champions Trophy at the Dubai International Stadium today. India boasts a strong tournament record, having won the title in 2013 and finishing as runners-up in 2017.
On the other hand, Australia claimed the prestigious trophy in 2006 and 2009 and currently hold the title after defeating India on home soil in 2023. Ahead of this high-stakes encounter, India’s middle-order batter Shreyas Iyer shared his thoughts on playing in the semi-finals.
In a video released by the BCCI, Iyer said:
“Tough times don’t last forever, tough players do. When the times are tough, that’s when I like to pull things back. The Gate to Glory is now visible, although the stakes are even higher. Sure, this is just another game, but the desire to win has just doubled. The clock is ticking, the semi-final is around the corner. And the F-Iyer is ignited. See you on the other side.”
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Shreyas Iyer performance in Champions Trophy
Shreyas Iyer has been in excellent form recently, starting with the home ODI series against England, where he registered scores of 78, 44, and 59 across the three matches.
Although he had a slow start to his Champions Trophy campaign, Iyer found his rhythm from the Pakistan game onward, contributing a vital 56 runs and supporting Virat Kohli in his match-winning performance.
He carried that momentum into the clash against New Zealand on Sunday, delivering a brilliant 79-run knock that proved decisive as India successfully chased down 249, securing a 44-run victory over the Kiwis.
Highlighting Iyer’s significance, former India No. 4 batter Ambati Rayudu, in a conversation with JioHotstar, emphasized the crucial role of middle-order players. He remarked:
“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.”
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