SPORTS

Former BCCI chief selector Dilip Vengsarkar lauded Shreyas Iyer for his impressive performance in the Champions Trophy, but expressed disappointment at his dismissal in the final, which prevented him from batting until the end. Iyer was a key contributor to India's strong campaign, finishing as the second-highest run-scorer in the tournament with 243 runs in 5 matches at an average of 48.60. The 30-year-old played a crucial role in stabilising the Indian batting lineup, consistently rescuing the team with his composed batting in the middle overs.

Iyer contributed a score of 48 in the Champions Trophy final, playing a vital role in stabilising the Indian innings after the early dismissals of Shubman Gill, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli. Despite his efforts, Iyer was unable to reach his half-century, falling victim to Mitchell Santner when India still required 69 runs to win. Vengsarkar expressed his belief that Iyer should have remained at the crease until the end of the match.

“Iyer did very well but I am not happy [with] the way he got out in the final. He should have continued till the very end and finished the game. But happy to see him realise his potential," Vengsarkar told PTI.

Vengsarkar was also impressed with KL Rahul's batting contributions in the lower-middle order. Despite being selected over the explosive Rishabh Pant at the number 6 position, the 32-year-old Rahul lived up to the expectations of the head coach and captain, delivering crucial knocks in the semifinal and final to help India secure victories. Despite being demoted to number 6 below all-rounder Axar Patel, Rahul's confidence remained unshaken, showcasing his willingness to adapt to any role the team required.

In the final, Rahul remained unbeaten on 34 off 33 balls, his presence in the middle providing a sense of stability that allowed other batters to play freely.

The former India selector, while acknowledging the team's decision, still believes that Rahul should bat above Axar at the number 5 spot. He suggested that the management's decision to maintain a left-hand, right-hand batting combination might have influenced the batting order.

"KL too played a few important innings at number six but [I am] still not convinced [about] Axar Patel batting ahead of him at five. The left-hand right-hand combination could be the only reason," he said.

Meanwhile, this victory marked India's third ICC Champions Trophy title, following previous triumphs in 2002 (shared with Sri Lanka) and 2013, where they defeated England in the final.

• Shreyas Iyer
• Dilip Vengsarkar
• Champions Trophy
• Champions Trophy 2025
• KL Rahul
• Axer Patel