3 reasons why Punjab Kings should go after Shreyas Iyer for captaincy if KKR release him
As per multiple reports, Shreyas Iyer is unlikely to be retained by the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) side for Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. This comes after Iyer led the Knight Riders to their third IPL title in the 2024 edition.
Iyer is reportedly not among the top retentions sought out by the franchise ahead of the retention deadline on October 31. This is also due to them having a plethora of options like Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Varun Chakravarthy, and Rinku Singh. Interestingly, Nitish Rana could also be among the retainees, with a section of team management reportedly wanting him to be a skipper.
On the other hand, Punjab Kings (PBKS) are looking for a skipper for IPL 2025 after Shikhar Dhawan announced retirement from all forms of cricket. In September, Ricky Ponting was roped in as the head coach of PBKS for the upcoming season.
On that note, let's take a look at a few reasons why Shreyas Iyer could be a good purchase for the Punjab Kings in the IPL 2025 auction.
#1 Shreyas Iyer has found success with Ricky Ponting in IPL
Shreyas Iyer replaced Gautam Gambhir to take over the captaincy of Delhi Capitals midway through the IPL 2018 season. That season also marked the appointment of Ricky Ponting as the head coach of the Capitals. Although the side finished last in the points table, they bounced back the following season.
The 2019 season saw them win nine out of 14 league games to qualify for the playoffs. In 2020, the duo of Iyer and Ponting helped the Capitals emerge as a runner-up, while losing to Mumbai Indians in the final. In 36 games, Iyer helped the side secure 21 wins under the watchful eyes of Ponting.
With the former Australian skipper being the head honcho of PBKS for the 2025 season, he can likely jump on the bandwagon to secure the services of Iyer.
#2 Calm and composed leader
After missing the 2023 season due to a back injury, Shreyas Iyer returned to lead the Kolkata Knight Riders for IPL 2024. In the initial part of the season, KKR's key pacer Mitchell Starc got off to a rocky start, conceding 100 runs without picking up a wicket in the first two games.
However, Iyer backed the experienced pacer and got rewards in terms of an exceptional comeback from Starc, especially in the playoffs. Here's what Starc said about Iyer's captaincy in a press conference during IPL 2024:
"To see Shreyas Iyer go about his captaincy has been fantastic. He's pretty level-headed, pretty calm even when things haven't gone our way."
Shreyas Iyer's composure and winning mentality were on display, as he made some brave bowling changes and rotated them pretty well to help KKR cruise to their third title victory.
Notably, Iyer is currently the most experienced IPL captain, having led in 70 matches and being the only skipper to have led two different teams to the finals.
#3 Pitches in Punjab will suit his free-flowing batting style
The IPL 2024 saw Punjab Kings play their home games in Mullanpur and Dharamsala. The PCA stadium in Mohali didn't host any of the games in the season; but a return in 2025 can't be ruled out.
Nevertheless, pitches at all these three grounds are a belter and generally offer assistance to the batters throughout the game. Shreyas Iyer, who has the reputation of launching sixes against the spinners will be valuable for the Kings, where the surface will have nothing to offer for the tweakers.
With a free-flowing bat swing, Iyer could be devastating against the pacers in the death overs. Moreover, his batting style will allow his partners to play their natural game and propel the team to a handsome score on the board.