R Ashwin believes Shreyas Iyer is \u201cin the zone\u201d right now, and that his current impact is already being reflected in Punjab Kings\u2019 momentum in both IPL 2025 and IPL 2026. The veteran off-spinner also argued that Iyer\u2019s form should put him in India\u2019s T20I plans, regardless of the uncertainty around who his inclusion would displace.<\/p>\n
Speaking on ESPNcricinfo\u2019s TimeOut programme, Ashwin said he is not only tracking output like runs, boundaries, or six-hitting, but also the way Iyer looks at the crease. He pointed to the confidence and consistency in the smallest details as an indicator of a batter operating at a high level.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not just looking at the runs being made, the volume of it, or the sixes or the fours, but the sheer presence on the field,\u201d Ashwin said. \u201cThat tells a story.\u201d<\/p>\n
He highlighted Iyer\u2019s routine and concentration, describing how the batter appears settled when he is setting himself before deliveries. Ashwin said that for the past five matches in the current season, Iyer\u2019s marking of his guard has looked like a repeatable process, suggesting a period of form that is difficult to replicate without being fully in control.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen Shreyas Iyer is just marking his guard\u2014every single time and for the last five games in this edition\u2014it looks like he\u2019s in a zone that most people won\u2019t understand unless they\u2019ve watched cricket the way we do,\u201d Ashwin added. \u201cThere are phases in your career where for a year or two you almost don\u2019t put a foot wrong, because everything is ticking.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ashwin then expanded on the idea that great batting stretches are built off more than match-day execution. He suggested that preparation, including routine and practice habits, can feed directly into performance. In his view, when a batter trains in a way that produces predictable outcomes in the nets, the same rhythm often carries over to the first ball faced in a match.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat happens because you\u2019re in a zone,\u201d Ashwin said. \u201cEverything is working\u2014starting from what you\u2019re eating, when you\u2019re sleeping, and how you\u2019re practicing. You hit a ball in the nets and you get the same ball when you play the first one and the next.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ashwin\u2019s assessment is backed by Iyer\u2019s recent run of batting. In his last three innings, the India batter has scored 50, 69* and 66. Overall, Iyer\u2019s strike rate in IPL 2026 stands at 187.96 at the moment.<\/p>\n
Ashwin described Iyer\u2019s impact as \u201cterrifying the bowlers\u201d with his presence. He credited Iyer\u2019s willingness to keep improving, arguing that many players stick to the parts of their game they already dominate, rather than working on weaknesses.<\/p>\n
\u201cHis sheer presence at the crease is terrifying the bowlers in many ways,\u201d Ashwin said. \u201cAnd how has he done that? His appetite to upskill himself is sensational.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said that not many cricketers have the drive to move away from comfort zones and explore areas where they are less strong. In Ashwin\u2019s opinion, Iyer\u2019s development has followed a path from \u201cgood to great,\u201d including confronting criticisms about his limitations rather than avoiding them.<\/p>\n
\u201cI personally think Shreyas has embarked on the journey of going from being good to being great,\u201d Ashwin said. \u201cI\u2019m not saying he is great\u2014I\u2019m saying it\u2019s a journey.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ashwin referenced claims that Iyer struggles with the short ball, and said Iyer has responded by taking on that challenge in match situations. He pointed to Iyer pulling the short delivery in a Test setting, keeping the contest active rather than shrinking from it.<\/p>\n
As examples, Ashwin cited Iyer\u2019s ability to pull Jasprit Bumrah past square over midwicket for a six, describing it as an inspirational blueprint for players watching. He also mentioned that Iyer is hitting fast bowlers down the ground, but suggested the reason is not just technical skill\u2014it\u2019s also that opponents have stopped offering the same bowling lengths and strategies they used to.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe is hitting fast bowlers down the ground,\u201d Ashwin said. \u201cHe has always been very good at it. But why is he doing it? Because people are not bowling short to him anymore. They know he is putting it away. And that\u2019s sensational.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ashwin argued that Iyer\u2019s batting form has been linked to his captaincy as well. He noted that Punjab Kings reached the final of the IPL in 2025, and that the franchise are currently top of the standings in IPL 2026 with four wins from five matches\u2014along with one washout\u2014at this stage of the tournament.<\/p>\n
He said Iyer\u2019s influence extends beyond tactical decisions, creating a comfortable environment inside the dressing room. Ashwin described it as a \u201cbrotherhood\u201d where the captain can hold straightforward conversations and players feel able to communicate.<\/p>\n
\u201cJust the comfort that he is creating around the team, to say, we will have a brotherly conversation. It\u2019s a brotherhood here,\u201d Ashwin said. \u201cAt the end of the day, I have played in teams where there is always that layer that you can\u2019t go up to the captain or the coach and say, \u2018I will deliver this for you.\u2019 And it\u2019s happened.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ashwin added that Iyer keeps leadership simple, similar to how conversations happen in everyday settings\u2014whether that is street-level cricket or games played with a tennis ball. In his view, that makes the atmosphere \u201camazing.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe is growing into the role of being a leader,\u201d Ashwin said. \u201cAnd I think the way he is batting, he is growing into the role of a leader that the players are looking up to. Which is a lethal combination.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ashwin also addressed the ongoing debate around Iyer\u2019s place in India\u2019s T20I team. He noted that the national side has won back-to-back T20 World Cups without Iyer, with one argument against his selection being the claim that there is no clear role player he could replace.<\/p>\n
However, Ashwin pushed back on that framing, saying that if Iyer continues to perform at the level he is showing for Punjab Kings, then his absence would be a loss for India\u2014not for the player.<\/p>\n
\u201cI can only say one thing. At this point of time, if he is not going to find higher honours, it\u2019s not his loss anymore,\u201d Ashwin said. \u201cIt\u2019s ours that we can\u2019t see him do what he is doing for the Indian team, in national colours.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said selection should begin with identifying the best available combination of 15 players rather than focusing first on who might be left out. In that approach, Iyer\u2019s name should be written down if he meets the standard.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen somebody has to be there in the team, write their name down,\u201d Ashwin said. \u201cYou just need to pick 15. Write the best 15 names possible. Don\u2019t worry about who is missing out.\u201d<\/p>\n
To illustrate the point, Ashwin referred to Yashasvi Jaiswal, whom he has praised in the past for his scoring hunger. He described Jaiswal as a batter with exceptional drive and added that India\u2019s depth is a sign of the strength of domestic cricket.<\/p>\n
From there, Ashwin returned to the main question: whether Iyer is good enough to be considered among the top names for India\u2019s T20I XI. His answer was clear.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut is he good enough to be written down in a list that is being prepared for an India T20I side? Of course, yes,\u201d Ashwin said. \u201cSo you write it down in that order and not worry about who you are replacing and then figure out who is going to be a standby.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
R Ashwin believes Shreyas Iyer is \u201cin the zone\u201d right now, and that his current impact is already being reflected in Punjab Kings\u2019 momentum in…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":3706,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_title":"R Ashwin on Shreyas Iyer IPL Form, T20I Selection","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"R Ashwin backs Shreyas Iyer\u2019s IPL \u201czone\u201d, saying his impact for Punjab Kings could fast-track India T20I selection despite tough competition.","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3707","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ipl"],"yoast_head":"\n