Punjab Kings have officially appointed Shreyas Iyer as their new captain for the upcoming IPL 2025 season. After the franchise bought the India batter in the auction, it was no surprise as to who would lead them.
The Kings formally announced Iyer’s name for the captaincy during the reality TV show, Bigg Boss, on Sunday night. The franchise will now expect Iyer to land them their first IPL trophy, which has eluded them from the league’s inception.
In the last season, the Mumbai batter was at the helm of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Under Iyer’s able leadership, KKR clinched their third IPL trophy by defeating Sunrisers Hyderabad in the final.
With that, he became only one of the eight captains to win the T20 league. Despite that, KKR didn’t retain Iyer as their captain. So he was back in the auction pool, with Punjab Kings splurging INR 26.75 crore, making him the second-most expensive auction pick in IPL 2025 Auction.
In December 2024, Iyer also guided Mumbai to the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy triumph while being part of the title-winning Ranji Trophy and Irani Cup 2024 teams.
“I am honoured that the team has reposed its faith in me. I am looking forward to working again with Coach Ponting. The team looks strong, with a great mix of potential and proven performers. I hope to repay the faith shown by the management to deliver our maiden title,” Iyer mentioned in a press release.
This will be Iyer’s third captaincy stint in the IPL, having previously led Delhi Capitals and KKR. Moreover, he will be working with Punjab’s head coach Ricky Ponting, with whom he led Delhi to the 2020 IPL final.
Ponting will also assume the coaching charge of the franchise from the upcoming season. The former Australian captain was eager to work with Iyer after their previous success with Delhi.
Ponting even heaped praise on Iyer for his captaincy capabilities in the IPL. He said, “Shreyas has a great mind for the game. His proven capabilities as captain will enable the team to deliver. I have enjoyed my time with Iyer in the past in IPL, and I look forward to working with him again. With his leadership and the talent in the squad, I am excited about the seasons ahead.”
Shreyas Iyer’s IPL Captaincy Record
Shreyas Iyer’s track record as a captain in the IPL is pretty good. Prior to his appointment as PBKS skipper, Iyer led Delhi and Kolkata in 70 matches combined, winning 38 of them.
He was first appointed as Delhi’s captain in the middle of the 2018 season, taking the team to the playoffs between 2019 and 2021. In 2022, Iyer left Delhi and joined KKR as their captain, leading them to the title two seasons later.
