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Shreyas Iyer made a big statement with his match-winning half-century in the first ODI against England in Nagpur on Thursday.
Once a key pillar of India's middle order in ODIs, Iyer nearly missed out on a place in the playing XI. It was only courtesy of a late injury to Virat Kohli that opened the door for the Mumbai batter's inclusion, and he made sure to grab the opportunity in emphatic fashion.
And he made sure he grabbed the opportunity with both hands, stroking a quickfire 59 from 36 balls, with nine fours and two sixes. His counter-attack rallied India after the early dismissal of the opening duo of Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal.
Playing his first game for India in more than six months, the 30 year old stamped his authority by hammering Jofra Archer for back-to-back sixes in the seventh over.
Byron Carse also suffered, as he was smashed for three crisp boundaries in the 10th over, while left-arm spinner Jacob Bethell was swept for a four as Iyer raced to a 30-ball fifty before falling to the same bowler in his next over.
His onslaught shifted the momentum firmly in India's favour, with his 94-run stand for the third wicket with Shubman Gill setting the stage for a comfortable six wicket win as the hosts chased down 249 in the 39th over.
After the victory, Iyer left everyone surprised by revealing he had not been expecting to play.
'So, funny story, I was watching a movie last night, I thought I could extend my night, but then I got a call from skipper (Rohit Sharma) saying that you may play because Virat has got a swollen knee. And then (I) hurried back to my room, went off to sleep straightaway,' he told Star Sports.
The fact that Iyer was initially set to be benched came as a shock, considering his crucial role in India's 2023 World Cup campaign, where he amassed 468 runs in 11 matches at an average of 66.25, including two centuries and three fifties.
'Trying to wrap my head around the revelation that Iyer wasn't likely to play if Kohli was fit. He's the first Indian to score 500+ runs batting at 4 in a World Cup. 2023. How could you bench him?? And if he wasn't going to play, where was Kohli supposed to bat? At 4? Surely, Gill wasn't getting pushed to 4,' remarked retired cricketer Aakash Chopra on X.
Iyer boasts of a good record in ODIs with 2,480 runs in 63 matches at an average of 47.69, with five hundreds and 19 fifties.
Since January 2022, he has been among India's most consistent middle-] order batters, scoring 1,667 runs in 41 ODIs at an average of 50.51, mostly batting at No. 4.
However, his career suffered briefly after a controversial decision to skip a domestic match for Mumbai last year cost him a BCCI central contract.
But he stormed back with a vital knock of 95 in the Ranji Trophy final last year to help Mumbai beat Vidarbha in the title clash before leading Kolkata Knight Riders to the IPL 2024 title. He also made vital contributions in helping Mumbai win the Irani Cup and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy last year.
2024 ended on a high for Iyer when he was bought by Punjab Kings in a massive deal worth Rs 26.75 crore (Rs 267.5 million) at the IPL mega auction and has been handed the captaincy of the team for IPL 2025.
He has been in terrific form in domestic cricket this season as well, having hit a couple of centuries including a double in the ongoing Ranji Trophy.
With just two ODIs remaining before the Champions Trophy, India's push to fast-track Yashasvi Jaiswal into the ODI setup could prove to be tricky as keeping Iyer out after this power-packed knock won't be easy.
If Kohli returns for Sunday's second ODI in Cuttack, India may have to reshuffle, potentially moving Gill back to the top and leaving Jaiswal on the bench.
'To be honest, I played throughout the domestic season, it taught me a lot and gave me a decent idea about how to approach my innings, the attitude I have to keep and it's just the mindset that I have improved over a period of time,' Iyer said.
'Also, from the skills point of view, you need to upgrade yourself, elevate and keep learning every now and then. I think I ticked all the boxes right and also my fitness played an important role.'
With renewed hunger and runs behind his back, Iyer has sent a timely reminder that he remains a force to be reckoned with for India in white ball cricket.