Australia cricketing legend and Punjab Kings (PBKS) head coach Ricky Ponting is surprised that Shreyas Iyer has not been handed a permanent spot in India's white-ball team, given his outstanding form and ability to overpower spinners on slow subcontinental grounds.

Iyer was a key cog in India's journey to the final of the 50-over World Cup in 2023, scoring 530 runs to become the seventh-highest run-getter in the event, and he demonstrated his prowess in the format with a 36-ball 59 against England in the first ODI in Nagpur on Thursday.

In domestic cricket, the 30-year-old has been in excellent form this season, reaching two centuries for Mumbai in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.

"I've been a little bit surprised that he's been out of India's side in the last couple of years. He had a terrific World Cup back in India (2023) where he played beautifully in the middle-order and I actually felt then that he'd almost cemented that spot and made that his own.

Then he had those couple of injuries, obviously injured his back, and went out of the side, but his domestic season this year has been brilliant. It sort of coincided with what he's done since around (IPL) auction time going forward in domestic cricket, he has been pretty much outstanding,” Ponting said onthe  ICC Review show.

Ponting believes Iyer will thrive in the Champions Trophy, which begins in Pakistan and Dubai on February 19. Ponting, the coach of the Punjab Kings, purchased Iyer for Rs 26.75 crore for the 2017 IPL season and stated that he is "delighted" to have the Mumbai native back in Indian team. 

"He's got the game that will stand up to the white-ball formats, especially in that part of the world. On those wickets -- the slower, lower wickets -- he's dynamic on those. We know how good a hitter of spin bowling he is and teams tend not to bowl a lot of spin at India, but at some stage, it's going to come.

If Shreyas is out in the middle, then he's as good as anyone. So, I'm delighted to see him back in the team,” Ponting signed off.

(PTI inputs)