Latest news with #Yograj
NDTV
3 days ago
- Sport
- NDTV
"When You Think You're So Big...": Yograj Singh Singles Out Shreyas Iyer As IPL Final Loss Culprit
Despite a stellar campaign in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season, Punjab Kings (PBKS) captain Shreyas Iyer failed to deliver in the final against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), as PBKS lost their second final in IPL history. Chasing 191, Shreyas got out for just 1 run off 2 balls in the crucial match. Following the match, Shreyas was given the sole blame for PBKS' defeat by former India cricketer and the father of Yuvraj Singh, Yograj Singh. Yograj accused Shreyas of thinking himself to be bigger than cricket. Yograj went as far as labelling Shreyas as the 'criminal' following hShis failure in the IPL 2025 final. "There is only one criminal from the match, and that is the captain of Punjab Kings, Shreyas Iyer," Yograj said, speaking to IANS. "No one is bigger than cricket. When you start thinking of yourself as big, that's when such happens," Yograj added. Shreyas finished as Punjab Kings' top run-scorer in IPL 2025, slamming 604 runs at a strike rate of 175. His strike-rate was the best among all the batters in the top 10 run-scorers of IPL 2025. In fact, Shreyas had smashed a scintillating unbeaten 41-ball 87 in Qualifier 2 against Mumbai Indians to take Punjab Kings to the final. However, Shreyas failed to replicate his heroics in the summit clash, getting out cheaply with PBKS still having a mountain to climb. In the end, PBKS ended up losing by merely 6 runs to RCB, ending their dreams of a first IPL title in 18 years. Yograj did not miss the opportunity to bring up the performances of his son, legendary India cricketer Yuvraj Singh. "There are many players, but India has had only two great finishers - MS Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh. The two have won India 92 matches from losing positions. Yuvraj has a 98 per cent winning rate. He has won 72 games single-handedly," Yograj stated. "On the contrary (to Shreyas Iyer), Virat Kohli made 40 (43) runs. So there is just one culprit in Punjab's defeat, and that is their captain." Shreyas was made the second-most expensive player in IPL auction history when he was bought for a whopping Rs 26.75 crore at the IPL 2025 mega auction. Having led Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to the title in IPL 2024, Shreyas led a PBKS team to the playoffs for only the third time in their history and the first time in 11 years.
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First Post
4 days ago
- Sport
- First Post
'There was only one criminal - Shreyas Iyer': Yuvraj Singh's father reacts to Punjab Kings loss in IPL 2025 final
Yuvraj Singh's father, Yograj Singh, slammed Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer after their IPL 2025 final loss to RCB, calling his shot a 'criminal offence' and blaming him for the defeat. read more Former India cricketer Yograj Singh has strongly criticised Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer after the team's heartbreaking loss in the IPL 2025 final against Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Calling Iyer the 'only criminal' of the match, Yograj blamed his poor shot selection for the defeat. Punjab Kings, playing their first IPL final since 2014, lost the title clash by just 6 runs. Shreyas Iyer, who had batted well in Qualifier 2 against Mumbai Indians, played a rash shot at a crucial time in the chase when they had just lost their second opener Prabhsimran Singh. This turned the match in RCB's favour. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Yograj Singh slams Shreyas Iyer World Cup-winning player Yuvraj Singh's father has now slammed Shreyas Iyer for the defeat. Yograj said that the shot played by Iyer was nothing less than a 'criminal offence' and even compared it with a serious legal offence (murder). 'In yesterday's match, there was only one criminal — Shreyas Iyer, captain of the Punjab team… When you think you are so big, this is what happens,' Yograj told IANS. 'The shot which Shreyas Iyer played in the final was a criminal offence, according to me. Ashok Mankad told me about this criminal offence, which comes under Section 302,' Yograj told ANI, referring to the Indian Penal Code section for murder. 'He also told me that the repercussions of this is that you will be banned for two matches. What Shreyas did yesterday is not acceptable. There is no apology for that,' he added. Punjab Kings fans were heartbroken after the narrow loss. This was their first playoff appearance in 11 years. However, Shreyas Iyer should be credited for his performances throughout the season, which helped PBKS finish at the top of the points table in league stage. He was supported well by all his teammates. RCB, on the other hand, celebrated their first-ever IPL title after years of heartbreaks and near-misses. This was their fourth IPL final and they finally managed to lay their hands on the trophy. RCB became the eighth team in IPL's history to win the title.
Mint
4 days ago
- Sport
- Mint
Yograj Singh blasts Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer for ‘criminal offence' in IPL 2025 final; ‘There's no apology…'
aking tFormer India cricketer Yograj Singh minced no words for Shreyas Iyer after the Punjab Kings captain's reckless dismissal in the Indian Premier League (IPL) final against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) became a talking point, thus describing it as a 'criminal offence.' After his match-winning 87 not out against Mumbai Indians in Qualifier 2, expectations arose on Iyer to play a similar kind of innings following RCB's total of 190/9 at the Narendra Modi stadium in Ahmedabad. Coming in at no.4 after the dismissal of Prabhsimran Singh, Iyer lasted only two balls for his one run before an ill-judged shot against Romario Shepherd resulted him being caught behind by Jitesh Sharma. It also proved to be one of the turning points in the game as Punjab Kings fell just six runs short of the target. Speaking to ANI, Yograj went no holds barred. 'The shot which Shreyas Iyer played in the final was a criminal offence, according to me. Ashok Mankad told me about this criminal offence, which comes under Section 302," Yograj, father of two-time World Cup winner Yuvraj Singh, said. "He also told me that the repercussions of this is that you will be banned for two matches. What Shreyas did yesterday is not acceptable. There is no apology for that,' added Yograj, who played one Test and six ODIs. Meanwhile, Iyer stated the job is still half done. 'The job is still half done, we have to be here and win the trophy next year,' said a dejected Iyer during the post-match presentation ceremony. 'Positives, definitely the way we turned up and every individual stepping up and saying that he can win the match, there are so many youngsters in the team, I'm sure they've gained a lot of experience from these matches and when they come next year they will carry immense experience with them. We can build some tactics and strategies around that so that we can play some decent cricket,' he added. Stay updated on all the action from the IPL 2025. Check the IPL 2025 Schedule, track the latest IPL 2025 Points Table, and follow the top performers with the Orange Cap and Purple Cap.
India Gazette
14-05-2025
- Sport
- India Gazette
"Greats should play till 50": Yograj Singh slams early retirement of Rohit, Virat
Chandigarh (Punjab) [India], May 14 (ANI): As Indian cricket bids farewell to two of its modern-day greats, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma from the Test arena, former cricketer Yograj Singh has shared his emotional and critical take on their retirement. While speaking to ANI on Wednesday, the father of former India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh reflected on the potential void the two stalwarts leave behind. 'Virat is a big player, so it will obviously be a loss,' Yograj said, underlining Kohli's stature and influence in the longest format of the game. He drew parallels to India's transition phase in 2011, adding, 'When many players were either removed, retired, or coerced into retirement in 2011, the team fell apart and has still not stood back up.' Though he acknowledged that 'everyone's time comes,' Yograj believes both Kohli and Rohit still have cricket left in them. 'I feel a lot of cricket is still left in Virat and Rohit,' he asserted. Reflecting on his son Yuvraj Singh's exit from international cricket, Yograj remarked, 'I told Yuvi (Yuvraj Singh) that it was not the right move when he was retiring. One should walk away from the field when one can no longer walk.' Yograj didn't shy away from criticizing the current trend of over-reliance on youth, warning that a lack of experienced leaders could destabilize the team. 'If you form a team full of youngsters, it will always fall apart,' he said. 'Maybe Virat feels that he has nothing more left to achieve,' he added, suggesting that inner satisfaction might have influenced Kohli's decision. Turning his attention to Rohit Sharma, Yograj was particularly vocal, suggesting that with the right support, the Indian skipper could have extended his red-ball career. 'I think Rohit Sharma needed just one person to motivate him daily, for example, to go for a run at 5 AM,' he said. 'Rohit (Sharma) and Virender Sehwag are two people who retired too early,' he added. 'The greatest players should play till 50 years of age... I am sad about their retirement as no one is left to motivate the youngsters now,' Yograj said, showing his disappointment. (ANI)
NDTV
14-05-2025
- Sport
- NDTV
"Should Play Till 50": Yograj Singh's Stunning Verdict On Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma Test Retirement
As Indian cricket bids farewell to two of its modern-day greats, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma from the Test arena, former cricketer Yograj Singh has shared his emotional and critical take on their retirement. While speaking to ANI on Wednesday, the father of former India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh reflected on the potential void the two stalwarts leave behind. "Virat is a big player, so it will obviously be a loss," Yograj said, underlining Kohli's stature and influence in the longest format of the game. He drew parallels to India's transition phase in 2011, adding, "When many players were either removed, retired, or coerced into retirement in 2011, the team fell apart and has still not stood back up." Though he acknowledged that "everyone's time comes," Yograj believes both Kohli and Rohit still have cricket left in them. "I feel a lot of cricket is still left in Virat and Rohit," he asserted. Reflecting on his son Yuvraj Singh's exit from international cricket, Yograj remarked, "I told Yuvi (Yuvraj Singh) that it was not the right move when he was retiring. One should walk away from the field when one can no longer walk." Yograj didn't shy away from criticizing the current trend of over-reliance on youth, warning that a lack of experienced leaders could destabilize the team. "If you form a team full of youngsters, it will always fall apart," he said. "Maybe Virat feels that he has nothing more left to achieve," he added, suggesting that inner satisfaction might have influenced Kohli's decision. Turning his attention to Rohit Sharma, Yograj was particularly vocal, suggesting that with the right support, the Indian skipper could have extended his red-ball career. "I think Rohit Sharma needed just one person to motivate him daily, for example, to go for a run at 5 AM," he said. "Rohit (Sharma) and Virender Sehwag are two people who retired too early," he added. "The greatest players should play till 50 years of age... I am sad about their retirement as no one is left to motivate the youngsters now," Yograj said, showing his disappointment.
