Shreyas Iyer alerts franchises with a blazing ton at SMAT 2024 ahead of IPL 2025 Mega Auction

With just hours to go before the IPL 2025 mega auction kicks off, Shreyas Iyer sent a loud message to the teams. The batter smashed a blazing ton in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy on the eve of the mega auction. Iyer, who is leading Mumbai in the domestic league, marked his return to the T20 tournament for the first time since 2022. His return to the domestic circuit came after a stern stance by the BCCI. The board had ousted Iyer and Ishan Kishan from the central contract earlier this year due to their non-adherence to the board's directive to play domestic cricket. However, Iyer made a positive comeback with the Duleep Trophy. Most recently, the Mumbai batter scored an impressive ton in the Ranji Trophy before taking the field against Goa in the first-round match of SMAT 2024.

Shreyas Iyer slams a blazing ton against Goa in the opening round of SMAT 2024

Mumbai captain Shreyas Iyer delivered a remarkable performance in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy opener against Goa. The batter took only 37 deliveries to smash 130 runs, roaring in form ahead of the IPL auction. Iyer hammered 11 fours and 10 sixes to lead Mumbai to an unchallenged total of 240 in 20 overs. The skipper was aided by Shams Mulani, who contributed with 41 off 24. Moreover, opening the innings for the team, Prithvi Shaw set the stage with 33 off 22 before Iyer took the Gymkhana ground by storm.

Notably, Goa seemed unfazed by the monumental target set by Mumbai in the Group E clash. With notable contributions from opener Ishan Gadekar and Suyash Prabhudessai, Goa managed to surpass the 200-run mark. Gadekar smashed 40 off 16, and Prabhudessai scored 52 off 36 as the team reached 224. However, Iyer's heroics proved too steep to match, and Goa ultimately lost the match by 26 runs in Hyderabad. Earlier in the day, Tilak Varma etched his name into the history books as the first-ever batter to hit three consecutive tons in T20s. Coming off his heroics in South Africa, where he hit two consecutive tons, Varma smashed 151 off 67 for Hyderabad against Meghalaya in the series opener.

While Varma was retained by Mumbai Indians for ₹8 crore ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction, Shreyas Iyer is on the lookout for a new team. Interestingly, Iyer, who captained Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2024 when they won the title, didn't find a place among the retained players by KKR. Now, with the former skipper named in the auction pool, Iyer is reportedly going to be chased by his previous franchise, Delhi Capitals, in the mega auction. Like KKR, DC has let go of their captain Rishabh Pant ahead of the mega auction. Pant, along with the likes of Iyer and KL Rahul, is in the race to become one of the most expensive players in IPL history at the mega auction on November 24.