Shreyas Iyer has had a year to remember. From being left out of the BCCI contracts and India's playing squads last season to leading three different franchises to the IPL Playoffs, the 30-year-old batter has scripted one of the most remarkable comebacks in recent memory.
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On Sunday, May 18, Iyer added another big achievement to his name - guiding the Punjab Kings to their first IPL Playoffs in 11 years. The last time the franchise reached this stage was in 2014 when they made it to the final.
Iyer signed for a staggering ₹26.75 crore ahead of IPL 2025. He has not just delivered with the bat - 435 runs at a strike rate of 174.69, but also brought strong leadership to a team long starved of consistency.
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Earlier, he had led Kolkata Knight Riders to end their title drought in IPL 2024. He also led Delhi Capitals to their first-ever IPL final back in 2020.
With these three teams making the Playoffs under him, Iyer has become the first captain in IPL history to achieve this unique feat.
Why does Sunil Gavaskar feel Shreyas Iyer didn’t get credit for IPL 2024 title win?
Despite these milestones, Sunil Gavaskar believes Iyer didn’t get his due last year when KKR won the title. Without naming names, the former India captain hinted that the credit for the win had been given to KKR's then-mentor Gambhir, who was later appointed India’s head coach.
“He didn’t get the credit for the IPL victory last season. All the plaudits were given to someone else. It’s the captain, who plays a major role in what’s happening in the middle and not someone sitting in the dugout,” Gavaskar said on Star Sports.
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Is Shreays Iyer finally being recognised for his efforts?
Gavaskar also pointed out that unlike last year, Iyer is now finally being recognised for his leadership with the Punjab Kings. He praised head coach Ricky Ponting as well, saying he has also played a big part but without hogging the limelight.
“See, this year he’s getting fair credit. No one is giving all the credit to Ricky Ponting,” Gavaskar added.
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