• Home
  • Cricket News
  • Shreyas Iyers Love Hate Relationship With Gautam Gambhir An Entire Timeline

Shreyas Iyer's Love-Hate Relationship With Gautam Gambhir: An Entire Timeline

Rajgeeta Yadav

Shreyas Iyer and Gautam Gambhir [Source: AFP]Shreyas Iyer and Gautam Gambhir [Source: AFP]

Indian cricket has seen its fair share of dramatic relationships, from player rivalries to coach-captain clashes. But one of the most fascinating stories in recent years revolves around star batter Shreyas Iyer and India’s current head coach, Gautam Gambhir. Their journey together has been full of twists, turns, and unspoken tensions, a classic case of love and hate.

When Shreyas Iyer Took Gautam Gambhir’s Place

To understand their complicated equation, we need to go back to 2018. At the time, Gautam Gambhir was the captain of the Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) in the IPL. Unfortunately, the team was struggling badly and midway through the season, Gambhir stepped down. In his place, a young and promising Shreyas Iyer was handed the captaincy.

While Gambhir publicly supported the decision, many felt that being replaced by a youngster might have left a bitter taste. Nevertheless, Iyer took the opportunity, led the side with maturity, and began to make a name for himself as a future leader.

Shreyas Iyer’s Battles Under Gautam Gambhir’s Watch

Fast forward to 2024, destiny brought them back together at Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Gambhir returned to the franchise as a mentor, and Iyer was named captain. What followed was nothing short of magical, KKR went on to win their third IPL title ending a 10 year drought.

However, this success came with a twist. Despite Iyer’s leadership on the field, most of the credit for the triumph went to Gambhir. Pundits hailed his “strategic brilliance,” which overshadowed Iyer’s role as captain. While Iyer never openly complained, fans noticed his subdued reactions and felt that he deserved more recognition.

Surprisingly, just months after winning the IPL, KKR released Iyer. The decision shocked the cricketing world. Soon after, Punjab Kings signed him for a massive ₹26.75 crore, the second-highest bid in IPL history.

In July 2024, Gambhir was appointed as the head coach of the Indian cricket team. Naturally, many believed that this would be the moment for Iyer to get his long-awaited comeback in all formats. After all, he had been performing consistently in domestic cricket and the IPL. However, he was overlooked.

Earlier this year, the situation became clear during the England ODI series when Iyer revealed he wouldn’t have played the first match had Virat Kohli been fit. This statement highlighted what many fans had suspected, that he wasn’t truly backed by the current Indian setup.

Even during IPL 2025, Iyer finally hinted at his feelings. In an interview with TOI, he said:

"I personally felt I didn't get the recognition I wanted to after winning the IPL but at the end of the day, as long as you have self integrity and you keep doing the right things when no one is watching, that is more important and that is what I kept doing."

Under his leadership, Punjab Kings had their best season in over a decade, finishing in the top two of IPL 2025. Individually, Iyer was in sensational form, scoring over 600 runs at a strike rate of 174. Clearly, he had proven his worth again.

Despite his outstanding performances, Iyer was overlooked for the Asia Cup 2025 squad. He wasn’t considered a regular in T20Is or Tests and only got to play in ODIs when other players were unavailable.

However, their relationship remains a mystery, and while Iyer keeps piling on runs and leading teams to success, his spot in Tests and T20Is is still far from secure.