Under the impressive leadership of Shreyas Iyer, Punjab Kings (PBKS) have delivered stellar performances in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. After a sensational victory against Mumbai Indians (MI) in Qualifier-2, they’ve made their way to the finals, just a win shy from their debut title triumph. Should they defeat Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on June 3rd, the dream of owner Preity Zinta to seize an IPL title will become a reality.
The Silent Performer Shreyas: Not Counted Among Stars, Yet...
The hero of Punjab Kings' triumph over Mumbai Indians in Qualifier-2 was indeed Shreyas Iyer. His batting at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium will remain etched in fans' memories. Chasing a target of over 200 against a team like Mumbai Indians is no small feat, but Shreyas’ courageous and composed innings dismantled Mumbai's bowling attack. In that critical match, Shreyas single-handedly outshone Mumbai Indians, scoring 87 runs off 41 balls with eight sixes and five fours.
Though his contributions aren't often highlighted like those of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, or Jasprit Bumrah, Shreyas' impact surpasses many cricketing stars. Whether it’s international cricket or IPL, Shreyas fulfills his role flawlessly.
In One-Day Internationals, Shreyas has consistently performed and cracked the mystery of the number four position. When India clinched the Champions Trophy in 2025, Shreyas played a pivotal role. His five matches yielded 243 runs, including two fifties, with an average of 48.60 and a strike rate of 79.41.
Although New Zealand’s Rachin Ravindra outscored Shreyas with 263 runs in the Champions Trophy 2025, Shreyas made a mark in the 2023 World Cup by amassing 530 runs with an average of 66.25 across 11 innings, featuring two centuries and three half-centuries. Yet, despite his white-ball excellence, Shreyas hasn’t had the opportunity to make a Test cricket comeback and was not selected for the upcoming England tour.
Source: aajtak
KKR's Champion Captain Released, Yet Proved His Worth...
Under Shreyas Iyer’s captaincy, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) claimed the championship in 2024. Yet, he didn’t receive the due credit, and surprising all, KKR decided to release their championship-winning skipper ahead of the season’s mega auction. This decision proved costly as KKR couldn’t even make the playoffs that season.
When Shreyas entered the mega auction for IPL 2025 after parting ways with KKR, Punjab Kings went all out, securing him for ₹26.75 crores—the second highest purchase in IPL auction history. Punjab Kings’ gamble paid off massively, with Shreyas playing a pivotal role, reshaping the team’s fate through outstanding batting and leadership.
Shreyas' Resolve: 'Lost the Battle, Not the War'
Under Shreyas Iyer’s captaincy, Punjab Kings topped the IPL 2025 points table, granting them two shots at a finals berth. Despite facing a heavy loss to Royal Challengers Bangalore in Qualifier-1, Shreyas offered words of inspiration, reminding everyone that they lost a battle, not the war. Drawing strength from this, Punjab Kings rallied to crush Mumbai in their next match.
In the current IPL season, Shreyas notched up 603 runs at an impressive average of 54.81 in 16 innings, including six half-centuries. The strategies devised by Shreyas and head coach Ricky Ponting have been instrumental in PBKS’s success. Both have previously collaborated at Delhi Capitals (DC), leading the team to playoff berths in 2019 and 2020.
Remarkably, Shreyas Iyer is the first captain to lead three different teams to IPL finals. Before taking Punjab Kings to the brink of champion status, he had also led Delhi Capitals to the finals in 2020 and KKR to victory. Now, they stand on the cusp of glory with Punjab Kings.
