Shreyas Iyer is a hugely underrated player for India in one-day internationals. While his elevation as a T20 player is a topic to be discussed, we will focus just on ODIs currently. The former Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) IPL-winning captain has solved major issues for India in the format. Long ago, India had the number four problem.
From 2017 to 2021, not even a single batter made even 500 runs at that slot in ODIs for India. The best was Ambati Rayudu, who scored 464 runs at 42.18. But it is interesting to note that India used as many as 13 players for that position in those five years, without settling for anyone. All that chopping and changing got over once Iyer was given a rope and he turned those lemons into a lemonade. Since that period, Iyer has batted at number four 32 times and has hammered 1479 runs at 54.77.
Huge ODI record that Shreyas Iyer is about to break
Now, he will be next in action in the second India vs New Zealand ODI in Rajkot. After missing out on a much-deserved fifty in Vadodara, Iyer is short of just 34 runs from making a huge record. Well, currently on 2966 runs, Iyer is close to the 3000 landmark and he may well become the fastest Indian to reach there.
As of now, the record stands with former opener Shikhar Dhawan, who took 72 innings to complete his 3000 runs in 2016. Iyer, meanwhile, has played just 68 times for India in the format and is just 34 runs away. He is most likely to get there in this series, if not in Rajkot.
Indians to get 3000 ODI runs in fewest innings ft. Kohli
| Player | Opposition | Match Date | Debut Time | Matches | Innings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shikhar Dhawan | v Australia | 20 Jan 2016 | 20 Oct 2010 | 73 | 72 |
| Virat Kohli | v Sri Lanka | 14 Feb 2012 | 18 Aug 2008 | 78 | 75 |
| KL Rahul | v Australia | 4 Mar 2025 | 11 Jun 2016 | 84 | 78 |
Virat Kohli, who has almost all the ODI records to his name, is second on the list, as he took 75 innings. Iyer is well placed to beat him as well and push him to third place. Now, Kohli is on a whole new level. With 14,560 runs at an average of 58.60, Kohli is leaps and bounds ahead of everyone whose name is not Sachin Tendulkar. In terms of hundreds, Kohli has already leapfrogged the great Tendulkar and almost got his 54th ODI ton in Vadodara.
| Matches | Inns | Runs | HS | Ave | SR | 100/50 | 4s/6s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 74 | 68 | 2966 | 128* | 47.83 | 99.09 | 5/23 | 274/73 |
Fastest 3000 runs in ODIs (overall)
| Player | Opposition | Match Date | Debut Time | Mat | Inns |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hashim Amla (SA) | v England | 28 Aug 2012 | 9 Mar 2008 | 59 | 57 |
| Shai Hope (WI) | v India | 22 Dec 2019 | 16 Nov 2016 | 72 | 67 |
| Fakhar Zaman (PAK) | v New Zealand | 29 Apr 2023 | 7 Jun 2017 | 67 | 67 |
| Imam-ul-Haq (PAK) | v Sri Lanka | 10 Oct 2023 | 18 Oct 2017 | 68 | 67 |
| Babar Azam (PAK) | v New Zealand | 26 Jun 2019 | 31 May 2015 | 70 | 68 |
If Iyer reaches the 3000-run landmark in Rajkot, he will join the legendary Sir Vivian Richards as the joint fourth fastest overall, just behind Babar Azam, who took 68 runs. The overall list is currently owned by South Africa’s Hashim Amla who took just 57 innings, 10 fewer than the next best (Shai Hope, Fakhar Zaman, and Imam-ul-Haq).
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