3 Reasons Why Captain Shreyas Iyer Will Power Punjab Kings To IPL 2025 Win

Muskaan Bhatt

Shreyas Iyer will lead PBKS in IPL 2025 (Source: @muffadal_vohra/X.com and BCCI)Shreyas Iyer will lead PBKS in IPL 2025 (Source: @muffadal_vohra/X.com and BCCI)

A long history of potential yet no luck has also been on Punjab Kings (PBKS ) side, after 18 seasons and no titles, the Punjab-based franchise decided to make a bold and never-seen before decision as they emptied their purse and retained only two players. With a futuristic and forward approach, PBKS took their INR 100 Crore+ purse and acquired some multi-dimensional players along with a new face to represent their franchise.

Appearing on Indian TV drama show, Big Boss, popular actor and host Salman Khan announced that Shreyas Iyer will be leading 'The Red Army' with a unique presentation in the upcoming IPL season. 

While many may mock the chances of Punjab Kings reaching the final and claiming a victory, in this article we take a look at three key reasons why Shreyas Iyer and co. will be reigning at the top in the cash-rich league:

1) A Brainy-Bunch Assembles At Mullanpur Stadium

Deriving players from the nooks and corners of this world, the Aussie and Indian players dominate the PBKS squad. From batters to bowlers to all-rounders, the strategic approach including the 'best in business' players of the Punjab management was accurately visible during the IPL auctions.

A leader like Shreyas Iyer has been given a vast player pool to choose from, whether it is the spin-friendly MA Chidambaram track where players like Yuzvendra Chahal and Glenn Maxwell are bound to shine or the placid surfaces of M. Chinnaswamy Stadium or home where the raw-pace and tactics of Arshdeep Singh, Lockie Ferguson will be too hot to handle; the team is well-set.

While there is still a big question mark over the opening pair, the middle order looks steel-proofed with Iyer, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Maxwell, Azmatullah Omarzai, Marco Jansen, all in attendance.

Looking closely, the most significant fault in the PBKS line-up over the years is that they always have strong players; however, they are all scattered. As a result, they sometimes fail to click together due to a lack of role clarity. Nevertheless, this year, their squad looks rock solid, and with the roles of every player more defined by the team with the likes of  Prabhsimran Singh, Nehal Wadhera, Harpreet Brar, and Vijay Vyshak Kumar, history is waiting to be written.

2) The OG Ponting-Shreyas Returns 

Ricky Ponting and Shreyas Iyer have a long-standing relationship. Before uniting in the Punjab franchise, the duo was in charge of Delhi Capitals in IPL 2020, when the team made it to the finals, only to lose to the Mumbai Indians. 

Previously, Shreyas had led the Delhi Capitals squad to their first IPL playoffs in 2019 after seven seasons, where they had finished third in the group before beating Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Eliminator and eventually losing to Chennai Super Kings in the second Qualifier. Iyer was the only successful captain for Delhi Capitals, with a 56.09% winning percentage.

But as they say, the journey is more enriching and full of learnings than the destination; hence, despite failing to win a title together, the returning duo is all set to combine their wealth of experience and guide PBKS to their first-ever IPL title.

3) 2024: A Genie For Shreyas Iyer As Captain

Last year was a year of tough goodbyes and a year full of new hellos for Shreyas Iyer. Despite being sidelined from the Indian cricket team, Iyer bounced back stronger and redeemed himself with his excellent performances in domestic tournaments.

Iyer, 30, had an exceptional year in domestic cricket, leading Mumbai to multiple titles, including the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy, Irani Cup, and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. As captain of KKR, he guided them to their third IPL title. In the IPL, Iyer has been a consistent match-winner, amassing 2,375 runs at an average of 31.67 and a strike rate of 123.96, with 16 half-centuries and a best score of 96. 

In his last season with KKR, he scored 351 runs in 15 matches at an average of 39.00 and a strike rate of over 146, with two fifties. However, in the IPL 2025 auction, Punjab Kings boldly acquired Shreyas Iyer for INR 26.75 crore, making him the second most expensive player in league history. The golden boy is ready to dazzle with his magic and take his team to IPL victory.