When everything seemed to fall apart for Shreyas Iyer, injuries, loss of form and even getting dropped from BCCI’s central contracts, few expected him to bounce back this strong.
But Iyer turned the chaos into motivation. Months later, he not only returned to the Indian team but also played a key role in India’s Champions Trophy 2025 triumph. His secret? Going back to the basics: domestic cricket.
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What pushed Shreyas Iyer to go back to domestic cricket?
In his own words, “Things were in shambles and everything looked helter-skelter.” That’s how Iyer described his lowest phase.
Instead of sulking, he decided to rebuild his career step by step. He went back to lead Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy, Vijay Hazare Trophy, and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and the results followed quickly.
Iyer spoke about setting a proper routine and disciplining himself during that period. The domestic grind, according to Iyer, helped him polish his technique and regain confidence.
"I need to set a routine and I need to discipline myself when it comes to playing domestic cricket. I went back to my team, Mumbai team and started playing Ranji Trophy, performed there then played Vijay Hazare, performed there and won trophies as well alongside Mushtaq Ali.”
That phase, Iyer said, was about rebuilding his game from scratch and trusting the domestic grind to bring out his best again.
“So all these tournaments literally helped me to boost my momentum and also the confidence heading towards the Champions Trophy,” said Iyer.
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How did Shreyas Iyer’s domestic run lead to a dream comeback?
Iyer’s performances at home were nothing short of dominant. He smashed a double century in the Ranji Trophy, guided Mumbai to T20 glory in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and lit up the Vijay Hazare Trophy with the bat.
Right before the Champions Trophy, he got a chance against England and made the most of it. Once the tournament began, he carried that rhythm and finished as India’s top-scorer with consistent knocks through the group stage and final.
He said those domestic months gave him “momentum and confidence” before the Champions Trophy. It was the spark he needed to reclaim his place and prove that form is temporary, but class truly is permanent.
"I was lucky to have a series against England right before the Champions Trophy where I got an opportunity to score and literally stand my authority in the team and then from there on I gained a lot of confidence headed into the Champions Trophy and after that, that simple momentum which I got from all these things, I think it helped me perform well in the tournament," added Iyer.
Now, as India’s new ODI vice-captain under Shubman Gill, Iyer’s comeback feels complete. From being written off to leading the team into another ICC cycle, his story is one of discipline and belief.
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