Punjab Kings (PBKS) has officially appointed Shreyas Iyer as their captain for the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) season. PBKS secured the 30-year-old cricketer, who guided Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to IPL glory in 2024, for a record-breaking INR 26.75 Crore during the auction, making him the second-highest buy.
When Iyer takes charge as the PBKS skipper, he will make history as the first player to captain three different IPL franchises in his career.
𝘞𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺! 💫#CaptainShreyas #SaddaPunjab #PunjabKings pic.twitter.com/jCYtx4bbVH
— Punjab Kings (@PunjabKingsIPL) January 12, 2025
Stellar Year Leadership of Shreyas Iyer
Iyer’s captaincy credentials are indeed impeccable. Not only did he lead KKR to an IPL title, but he also spearheaded Mumbai to victories in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, Ranji Trophy, and Irani Trophy in 2024. With these four major trophies under his belt in just one year, Iyer has, therefore, cemented his reputation as a proven leader.
Expressing his enthusiasm, Iyer said, “I am honoured to have the team’s trust in me. I am looking forward to working with Coach Ricky Ponting again. The team has a strong mix of promising talent and experienced performers, and I’m eager to help deliver our first IPL title.”
Reuniting with Ricky Ponting
The IPL 2025 season reunites Iyer with Ricky Ponting, PBKS’s head coach. The duo previously led Delhi Capitals to their maiden IPL final in 2020. Ponting lauded Iyer’s leadership, stating, “Shreyas is a natural leader who inspires confidence. I’m excited to work with him to achieve great things for Punjab Kings.”
Punjab Kings’ Title Ambitions
Punjab Kings CEO Satish Menon revealed that Iyer was their top choice for captain. As the franchise aims to end their title drought after falling short in the 2014 IPL final, Menon shared, “With Shreyas and Ricky at the helm, we believe this is our best chance to secure our maiden IPL title.”
