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India Today
13 hours ago
- Entertainment
- India Today
Captain Marvel: Shreyas Iyer one win away from his moment in the sun
"I felt I didn't receive the recognition I deserved after winning the IPL, but at the end of the day, as long as you have self-integrity and you continue doing the right things when no one is watching, that's what truly matters – and that's what I kept doing," Shreyas Iyer said, reflecting on why he chose to leave KKR despite leading the side to an IPL wasn't a quote made for the cameras. It was a sentence soaked in silence — the kind that lingers after the lights have dimmed and the applause has faded. Iyer wasn't just talking about cricket; he was speaking about what it feels like to be invisible in plain Kolkata Knight Riders captain, he barely put a foot wrong during their 2024 IPL-winning campaign, but the presence of Gautam Gambhir, Chandrakant Pandit and Abhishek Nayar in the dugout meant Shreyas's leadership was often overshadowed. And yet, by leading Mumbai to the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy title against Madhya Pradesh on Sunday, he proved there's more to his captaincy than merely executing instructions from the Read: IPL 2025 final preview, RCB vs PBKS: 17-year wait, 18th attempt, one dreamadvertisementA few months later, Shreyas Iyer became Punjab Kings' 17th captain — yes, seventeenth. If that doesn't tell you everything about the franchise's identity crisis, nothing after years of chopping and changing, of false dawns and fleeting hopes, with one win away from their maiden title, PBKS finally found their Sarpanch — a leader the fans worship, the coach trusts, and the owners can't stop smiling leader that CSK has always had in MS Dhoni, MI have in Rohit Sharma and RCB in Virat Punjab Kings fans are going gaga over Shreyas. A clip from the podcast The Boundary Boys, where the host promises Shreyas Iyer 100 acres of land, a 10-acre mansion, and even a Canadian bride — all on one condition: lead Punjab Kings to their maiden IPL THE MAN WITH THE MIDAS TOUCH Shreyas Iyer is currently the sixth highest run-scorer in IPL 2025. Courtesy: AP Cricket rarely offers fairy tales, but it often rewards persistence. Shreyas Iyer, once a mainstay in the Indian team, was overlooked for a central contract in 2024 after missing early-season domestic matches – a requirement set by the BCCI. He had withdrawn from a Ranji Trophy match in February 2024 due to injury concerns, prompting disciplinary response? returned to domestic cricket and played a pivotal role in Mumbai's successful run — lifting the Ranji Trophy, the Irani Cup, and the Syed Mushtaq Ali then made his way back into India's ODI side for the England series and carried that momentum into the title-winning Champions Trophy campaign, where he emerged as India's leading scorer with 243 runs in five matches, including two three months later, well past midnight on June 2, Shreyas Iyer played a gladiator's knock to seal Punjab Kings' spot in the final. With this, he became only the second captain — after MS Dhoni — to take more than one franchise to the IPL final. More remarkably, he's the only one to lead three different teams to the final in successive PONTING CONNECTION Shreyas Iyer has flourished with Ricky Ponting as coach. Courtesy: PTI Shreyas Iyer's stock soared to Rs 26.75 crore — the second-highest IPL auction bid in history — as Punjab's dogged pursuit finally succeeded. It took the vision and persistence of newly appointed head coach Ricky Ponting to secure Shreyas Iyer and steer PBKS to their first final since 2014."I was pretty keen to work with him again," Ponting said. "It was obvious how much I valued him – we had a great working relationship at Delhi and even made the final in 2020 under his captaincy. He's a quality person. When you're trying to build a winning culture, you need people like that."Since his recall into the Indian ODI side in February, Shreyas has made it a habit to deliver match-winning and impactful innings across formats. In IPL 2025, as Punjab's captain, he has led from the front. After losing the Qualifier 1, Shreyas said his team had lost the battle and not the war. And boy, he batted like a true champion in the very next game against Mumbai Indians, battling the Jasprit Bumrah-led bowling attack to score match-winning 87: probably one of his finest innings of his IPL ANCHOR TO ENFORCERLast year at KKR, Shreyas often played second fiddle. At Punjab, he's had to carry more responsibility — as their designated enforcer in a line-up without high-profile overseas match one, Ponting spoke about witnessing a new version of Shreyas: confident, assertive, and numbers back it up. For the first time, Iyer has crossed 600 runs in an IPL season. Most tellingly, his strike rate — 175.80 — is far above his career T20 average of 133.40. Having struck just 30 sixes across his last three seasons, he's smashed 39 this year last year, Shreyas has won every major trophy he's chased — IPL 2024 with KKR, the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy with Mumbai, and the ICC Champions Trophy with SHREYAS IYER INDIA CAPTAINCY MATERIAL? Shreyas Iyer has led three different teams to IPL finals. Courtesy: AP Taking the reins as Punjab Kings' captain in IPL 2025, Shreyas has transformed the side into a force to reckon with. His astute leadership and match-winning performances have instilled a winning mentality in a squad long starved of his success with Punjab Kings has reignited conversations around his suitability for India's you, Shreyas is not currently part of India's Test or T20I squads. He wasn't picked for the upcoming England series, nor did he feature in the last T20I he was India's MVP in the Champions Trophy — where the team, led by Rohit Sharma, remained strategic nous in IPL 2025, especially with PBKS, has been key to their first playoff appearance in over a decade.'I've said this time and again and I'll say it AGAIN!! Iyer will captain India in multiple formats!! He has to!! He's that good,' wrote Robin Uthappa on Gavaskar, too, feels Iyer didn't get due credit for KKR's title win in 2024 — possibly hinting at Gambhir's dominant presence."All the plaudits were given to someone else. It's the captain who influences what happens on the pitch, not someone sitting in the dugout,' Gavaskar said on Star Sports. 'This year he's getting the credit. No one's giving it all to Ponting."RCB VS PBKS – LEGACY ON THE LINERCB and PBKS have never won an IPL title, despite being part of the league since its inception. Alongside Delhi Capitals, they form what social media cheekily calls the 'Holy Trinity' — franchises with loyal fanbases who've learnt to wear heartbreak with humour and a sense of shared Shreyas Iyer — 603 runs this season — a second consecutive IPL final tells its own story. He is now the only player in tournament history to lead three different teams to the it's not just perseverance that defines him — it's hunger. The same hunger that burned when he first walked into the PBKS dressing room still fuels him today, fiercer than ever, ahead of the biggest match of the loud. Those maximums were louderCaptain Shreyas Iyer puts #PBKS on the brink of a seat in the GRAND FINALUpdates | #PBKSvMI | #Qualifier2 | #TheLastMile | @ShreyasIyer15 IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) June 1, 2025On Tuesday, he'll face a revitalised RCB side led by an India teammate, Virat Kohli — a player he stood beside during that painful World Cup semi-final loss on this very ground in 2023. While Kohli has always had the nation's love, Iyer has had to earn every cheer, every his success as a captain and a batter for DC, KKR and India, he has never truly been embraced — not by a franchise, nor by the national selectors. Somewhere along the way, he even lost his central Shreyas leads a side that has never lifted the IPL trophy — but he has. And yet, he's never had a team or a nation rally around him as their own quite like Punjab fans have around their Sarpanch the fight is far from over.A win on Tuesday would end Punjab's 18-year wait — and answer every unasked question about Shreyas Iyer's leadership, intent, and is no longer Shreyas Iyer, the overlooked is Shreyas Iyer, the man who made Punjab Kings come Tuesday night, the world will might finally see Shreyas Iyer as the true leader: IPL's Captain updated on IPL 2025 with India Today! Get match schedules, team squads, live score, and the latest IPL points table for CSK, MI, RCB, KKR, SRH, LSG, DC, GT, PBKS, and RR. Plus, keep track of the top contenders for the IPL Orange Cap and Purple Cap. Don't miss a moment!Tune InTrending Reel IN THIS STORY#IPL 2025
Indian Express
a day ago
- Sport
- Indian Express
How Punjab Kings broke the bank for Shreyas Iyer at IPL 2025 Auction on Ricky Ponting's insistence
After a chunk of captaincy and squad shuffles, Punjab Kings broke an 11-year drought on Sunday night in Ahmedabad as they stormed past five-time champions Mumbai Indians to reach their second IPL final. Leading the charge was the inimitable Shreyas Iyer, with the captain and the batter in top form to lead PBKS to a record chase over MI at the Narendra Modi Stadium. Iyer's epic onslaught, an unbeaten 41-ball 87 packed with nine sixes and five fours, steered Punjab to a five-wicket win to break Mumbai's 18-match winning streak while defending 200-plus totals. Iyer's stable leadership has been of vital importance to Punjab's resurgence with a revamped squad since the Mega Auction held in November 2024. The 30-year-old Iyer was Punjab's top picks after having started the team-building process on the back of only two uncapped retentions in Prabhsimran Singh and Shashank Singh. Iyer's stocks soared as high as Rs 26.75 crore, the second-highest IPL auction bid ever, as Punjab's relentless pursuit finally bore fruit. It took newly appointed head coach Ricky Ponting's relentless commitment to snap up Iyer that made the association and the qualification to the final for the first time since 2014 possible for the Kings. READ: Fully Ricky Ponting Idea Exchange Interview 'I may have made it sound like the whole team is all about me. It's certainly not. I'm the head coach and responsible for wins and losses, but once the game starts, the team is handed over to the captain. The coach can do very little once the game starts. It was pretty clear with what we did at the auction by bringing Shreyas to this franchise, it was clear to me and the owners that we wanted the best possible Indian captain. We got our man. He's been terrific around the group,' Ponting had told The Indian Express during an Idea Exchange interaction early in the IPL 2025 season. Ponting insisted that Iyer's nous and leadership abilities were integral for Punjab, adding that the coach did not have a real-time impact on the field. 'I don't think a cricket team coach has the same impact as a football team manager. I like to share my thoughts and ideas with the captain and a few senior players. We don't necessarily include everyone in all tactical decisions, but the relationship between the captain and coach must be as strong as possible. That's why I went for Shreyas in the auction. I've worked with him for a long time in Delhi (Capitals). He's one of the great players and great people I've worked with, and is an IPL-winning captain. We have a terrific relationship, respecting each other's roles. Making his franchise debut with a stellar 97 not out in a high-scoring game, incidentally against the Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad, Iyer went onto cross the 600-run mark for the first time in a season on Sunday. 'You watch him walk out to bat, he walked out with a certain amount of swagger about him because he's confident. He knows if he does his little things right, then he can't fail. That's the thing I always tell the players: if you prepare as well as you can and if you go out and stick to your game plan, you can't fail. Yes, you might make a mistake, but you've done everything you can to make an impact on the game,' remarked Ponting. Despite his rejuvenated returns in the domestic season, the 30-year-old Iyer was overlooked for India's 18-member Test squad due to take on England later this month. Speaking to the ICC Review, Ponting said that the Mumbaikar has sourced motivation from the snub. 'I actually was gutted…but he's accepted that really well and he's moved on. 'He's just got that real hunger in his eyes to do well every time that he plays for us here and wants to win games of cricket and wants to evolve and develop into the best leader and captain that he can be.'
India Gazette
2 days ago
- Sport
- India Gazette
Shreyas Iyer steers Punjab Kings to second IPL final with commanding win over Mumbai Indians
Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India], June 2 (ANI): Shreyas Iyer rose to the occasion with a captain's knock that will be etched in Punjab Kings' (PBKS) history, as his unbeaten 87 off 41 deliveries powered the franchise into their second Indian Premier League (IPL) final, and first in eleven years, with a five-wicket win over the five time champions Mumbai Indians (MI) in the second qualifier in Ahmedabad on Monday. Chasing a stiff target of 204, Punjab showed both aggression and composure to overhaul the total with an over to spare, thanks largely to Iyer's clean striking and calculated leadership in the middle. Punjab's chase began on a shaky note as Prabhsimran Singh fell early to Trent Boult for just 6, leaving PBKS at 13/1 in 2.1 overs. Priyansh Arya provided a quick spark with a brisk 20 off 10 balls before being dismissed by Ashwani Kumar, with the score at 55/2 in 5.1 overs. Australian Josh Inglis then took charge alongside Iyer, stroking a confident 38 off 21 deliveries, including five boundaries and two sixes. However, MI skipper Hardik Pandya removed him at a crucial juncture, momentarily halting Punjab's momentum. With pressure building, Nehal Wadhera partnered with Iyer to put together a critical 84-run stand, maintaining the required rate and keeping Punjab in the hunt. Wadhera missed out on a half-century, falling for 48 to Ashwani Kumar, but by then, the platform had been set. Even as wickets fell around him, including a run-out of Shashank Singh for 2, Iyer remained unflustered. Punjab crossed 100 in 10.3 overs and brought up 150 in 15.1, keeping the scoreboard ticking efficiently. The chase was sealed in 19 overs, with Iyer finishing things off in emphatic style, taking his team to the final with a towering six. This win not only marked Punjab Kings' first IPL final appearance since 2014 but also added a new chapter to Iyer's captaincy legacy. Having already led Delhi Capitals (DC) (2020) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) (2024) to the summit clash, lifting the title with KKR, Iyer now becomes the first captain to reach three IPL finals with three different franchises. With this, he also has a shot at becoming a two-time IPL-winning captain, a feat very few have achieved. This was Punjab's first playoffs after eleven years. With momentum on their side and Iyer in sublime form, Punjab Kings will now set their sights on a historic first IPL trophy. For a franchise that has long lived in the shadows of more successful teams, 2025 might just be their year, and with Shreyas Iyer at the helm, they'll believe anything is possible. Mumbai's bowlers were not up to the mark, and Jasprit Bumrah was off-colour, as he gave away 40 runs in his four overs. Ashwani Kumar picked up 2/55, and Boult and Pandya picked up one wicket each. Earlier, an Exceptional batting performance from the Mumbai Indians powered them to a solid total of 203/6 in their 20 overs during Qualifier 2 at the Narendra Modi Stadium. Right-hand batters Rohit Sharma and Jonny Bairstow came out to open the innings for the Mumbai-based franchise in the game. The side didn't have the start that they wanted, as the Hardik Pandya-led side lost the wicket of Rohit Sharma at the score of 19. The right-hand batter went back to the pavilion after scoring just eight runs. Following Rohit's dismissal, left-hand batter Tilak Varma was promoted up the order. The Mumbai side touched the 50-run mark in the fifth over of the innings. On the last ball of the seventh over, the Mumbai team lost their second wicket as Bairstow was dismissed by right-arm seamer Vijaykumar Vyshak. The right-hand batter went back to the dressing room after scoring 38 runs off 24 balls, which came with the help of three fours and two sixes in his innings. After Bairstow's departure, right-hand batter Suryakumar Yadav came out to bat. In the 10th over of the innings, the MI side completed their 100-run mark. The Mumbai Indians team lost their third and fourth wicket at the score of 142. The batters to get dismissed at 142 were Suryakumar Yadav (44 runs off 26 balls) and Tilak Varma (44 runs from 29 balls).In the end, right-hand batter Naman Dhir came out to bat and scored a crucial 37 runs in just 18 balls, which was laced by seven boundaries at a strike rate of 205.56. For the Shreyas Iyer-led side, two wickets were snapped by Azmatullah Omarzai (2/43 in 4 overs) and one wicket each was grabbed by Kyle Jamieson (1/30 in 4 overs), Marcus Stoinis (1/14 in 1 over), Vijaykumar Vyshak (1/30 in 3 overs), and Yuzvendra Chahal (1/39 in 4 overs) in their respective spells. Brief Scores: Mumbai Indians 203/6 in 20 overs (Suryakumar Yadav 44, Tilak Varma 44; Azmatullah Omarzai 2/43) vs Punjab Kings 207/5 in 20 overs (Shreyas Iyer 87, Nehal Wadhera 48; Ashwani Kumar 2/55). (ANI)
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
David Warner's final predictions: Prophecy for new IPL champions, snubs Virat Kohli for player of the match
2016 IPL-winning skipper David Warner made a bold prediction for the winner of the ongoing season as the tournament has already entered the business end with two matches left to play. Warner is one of the three overseas players to lead an IPL team to a title triumph, before him, Shane Warne and Adam Gilchrist etched their names in the history. He feels a new IPL champion will be crowned on June 3 and predicted that Josh Hazlewood will play a pivotal role in the Royal Challengers Bengaluru ending their title drought. RCB have already sealed a place in the IPL 2025 final with a thumping win over Punjab Kings in the qualifier 1 and reaching there first made them a firm favourite to win the title. It was Warner who stopped RCB from lifting their maiden title when they last reached the IPL final in 2016, as Sunrisers Hyderabad emerged victorious at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad. Warner scored a fiery 69 off 38 balls, setting the tone for a big total - 208/7, while Virat Kohli and co. did put up a fight with the bat but were eight runs short in the end. However, Warner feels that this year, RCB will go over the line and end their title drought, and Hazlewood, not Virat Kohli, will be their standout performer. A fan on X asked Warner, 'David, what do you think, who will be the champion of the Tata IPL 2025? @davidwarner31' The veteran Australian opener replied, 'I think RCB and Josh hazelwood man of the match.' RCB made history on their road to Qualifier 1, becoming the first team in IPL history to win all of their away games in a single league stage. While Rajat Patidar's leadership has drawn praise, it's Virat Kohli who has once again been the backbone of their campaign — amassing over 600 runs, including a record-breaking eight fifties, the highest by any batter this season. Remarkably, every time Kohli hit a half-century while chasing, RCB ended up on the winning side. This also marks the fifth time Kohli has crossed the 600-run mark in a season — the most by any player in IPL history. Josh Hazlewood is another player who has been pivotal in RCB's consistent show this year. The Aussie player missed the last few league stage matches due to shoulder niggle. However, he returned in time to produce a match-winning spell - 3/21 in 3.1 overs against Punjab Kings in qualifier 1.
Mint
2 days ago
- Sport
- Mint
Who will win IPL 2025 Final? David Warner makes bold prediction, names Player of the Match
The 18th season of the IPL is indeed proving ominous for Royal Challengers Bengaluru, who now hope to win their first IPL trophy with one final victory on 3 June. While RCB's rivals will be decided after today's match between Punjab Kings and Mumbai Indians, former IPL-winning captain David Warner has already predicted that the Bengaluru-based franchise will win the lucrative league this year, naming his fellow Australian Josh Hazlewood as the player of the match for the penultimate clash. Asked about the IPL 2025 winner on X (formerly Twitter), Warner replied, "I think RCB and Josh hazelwood man of the match," Notably, Hazlewood has been RCB's leading wicket-taker this year, taking 21 wickets in 11 matches, including his best figures of 4/33 against Rajasthan Royals. Even in the Qualifier 1 match against the Punjab Kings, the fast bowler bowled tough lines and lengths, troubling the PBKS batters and eventually taking three wickets. After the match, former India cricketer Aakash Chopra also lauded Hazlewood on his YouTube channel, saying, 'Josh Hazlewood came, and what a trajectory this guy has. He doesn't stop. He had come after an injury. At times, you are slightly ginger when you return from injury... He said, 'Forget that, I will do it.' He dismissed Shreyas Iyer for the fourth time. Shreyas Iyer isn't able to play at all against him, and he didn't stop there. After that, Josh Inglis. I thought those were the two biggest wickets in the middle order, and it was all over.' The right handed pacer will next be seen in action during the IPL Final on 3 June at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Notably, Hazlewood is also part of Australia's squad for the World Test Championship Final and will have to rush to England after the IPL to play the coveted match.
