"He hits sixes over long-on and cover against short balls" - Aakash Chopra lauds Shreyas Iyer's knock in PBKS' IPL 2025 win vs GT
Former India player Aakash Chopra has lauded Shreyas Iyer for scoring a match-winning half-century in the Punjab Kings' (PBKS) IPL 2025 clash against the Gujarat Titans (GT). He noted that the PBKS skipper has altered his technique slightly, which has enabled him to hit short balls for sixes all around the park.
Shreyas smashed an unbeaten 97 off 42 deliveries as PBKS set GT a 244-run target in Ahmedabad on Tuesday, March 25. The IPL 2014 runners-up then restricted the home team to 232/5 to register an 11-run win.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra,' the former India opener praised Shreyas for continuing his run-scoring spree and showcasing his big-hitting abilities against short balls.
"We were saying Shreyas Iyer, the captain, will keep getting better if Shreyas Iyer, the batter, does well. He came to bat at No. 3. I think that's the right number. He should bat there only. The form he has been carrying in 2025, he just continued in the same rich vein of form," Chopra said (14:30).
"He has made a slight change in his batting. He has opened his stance slightly. The access to midwicket, long-on, and square leg has become incredible. He doesn't get stuck anymore against the short ball. He hits sixes over long-on and cover against short balls," he added.
Shreyas Iyer struck five fours and nine sixes in his unbeaten 97. He stitched together half-century partnerships with Priyansh Arya (47 off 23), Marcus Stoinis (20 off 15), and Shashank Singh (44* off 16) during his innings.
"It was no less than a century" - Aakash Chopra lauds Shreyas Iyer's selfless attitude in PBKS vs GT IPL 2025 clash
![Shreyas Iyer didn't get the strike in the final over of PBKS' innings. [P/C: Getty]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/03/82d99-17429647744311-1920.jpg?w=500)
In the same video, Aakash Chopra highlighted that Shreyas Iyer's unbeaten 97 in Tuesday's game was as good as a century.
"He remained unbeaten on 97, but it was no less than a century. I think Mohammad Kaif was there with us on commentary, and he said Shashank Singh should take a single and bring the captain on strike, and I can understand why he would have said that," he said (15:25).
The cricketer-turned-analyst praised the PBKS captain for urging Shashank Singh to play the big shots instead of giving him the strike in the final over.
"However, he (Shreyas) said, 'No, every ball needs to be maximized. So if you are going at a strike rate of 260, continue, I doesn't want to score a hundred.' He has never scored a hundred in the IPL, but it will be scored sometime or other. It just tells you about the selfless nature, and that speaks volumes about what Punjab Kings really stands for now," Chopra observed.
While appreciating Priyansh Arya and Shashank Singh for playing enterprising knocks during PBKS' innings, Aakash Chopra picked Vijaykumar Vyshak's spell (0/28 in three overs) as the game-changing moment. He pointed out that the Karnataka seamer might not have taken a wicket but was instrumental in restricting the big-hitting Sherfane Rutherford with his wide lines, which made the difference in the end.