India and Mumbai batter Shreyas Iyer, one of the marquee buys at the IPL 2025 auction, has been named captain of Punjab Kings. The announcement was made on Sunday during his guest appearance on the reality TV show Big Boss, alongside PBKS teammates Yuzvendra Chahal and Shashank Singh.
“It’s an honor to lead Punjab Kings,” Iyer said in a team release. “I’m excited to work again with coach Ricky Ponting. We have a strong squad with a balance of talent and experience, and I hope to deliver the team’s maiden IPL title.”
Iyer, 30, is one of only eight IPL captains to lift the trophy, achieving the feat last year with Kolkata Knight Riders. Under his leadership, KKR claimed the IPL 2024 championship. Punjab Kings secured Iyer’s services at the IPL 2025 auction for a record-breaking INR 26.75 crore (USD 3.18 million approx), though this was shortly surpassed by Lucknow Super Giants acquiring Rishabh Pant for INR 27 crore.
PBKS head coach Ricky Ponting praised Iyer’s leadership skills, saying, “Shreyas has an excellent cricketing mind and proven abilities as a captain. Having worked with him during our time at Delhi Capitals, I am confident he will lead Punjab Kings to success.”
Iyer’s IPL journey has seen him play for Delhi Capitals (2015–2021) and KKR (2022–2024), with leadership stints at both franchises. Notably, he captained DC to three consecutive playoff appearances, including a runners-up finish in 2020. Beyond the IPL, Iyer recently led Mumbai to victory in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and ranked fourth in the tournament’s top scorers with 345 runs, including a century, at an impressive strike rate of 188.52.
Ponting, who reunited with Iyer as PBKS head coach this season, was instrumental in the team’s aggressive bidding. Reflecting on the auction, he remarked, “I wanted Shreyas on the team because I’ve worked with him before. He’s a fantastic leader and a great player. With his championship-winning experience, I’m excited about what he brings to Punjab Kings.”
Updated on 13th January, 2025 by MyFortune11 Team.