New Delhi [India]: Shreyas Iyer, who led Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to IPL glory last year, is now gearing up to guide his new team, Punjab Kings (PBKS), to their first-ever IPL title.
Speaking to Jio Hotstar, Iyer expressed his ambition to create history with PBKS.
“From the moment I was picked in the auction, my desire has been clear—Punjab Kings haven’t won the IPL yet, and my goal is to lift the trophy for them. That would be a historic achievement, and I want to make the fans happy and give them a reason to celebrate. A Punjabi celebration at the end of the season would be something special!” Iyer said.
Iyer, who captained Delhi Capitals to the finals in 2020 and secured KKR’s third IPL title in 2024 under Gautam Gambhir’s mentorship, hopes to replicate his success with PBKS when they face Gujarat Titans at the Narendra Modi Stadium on March 25.
Reflecting on cricket commentary in regional languages, Iyer shared memories of his early cricket days.
“We do enjoy it. When we started playing cricket, we used to talk in our languages in the dressing room. In Mumbai, we even have different names for shots. In different regions, people have their way of describing how a shot was played. When we hear it for the first time, it’s a bit of a culture shock—like, wow, these are the words used in cricket!”
Since his debut in 2015, Iyer has scored 3,127 runs at an average of 32.23 with a strike rate of 127.47, including 21 fifties. His highest IPL score is 96. In his debut season, Iyer won the ‘Emerging Player’ award after scoring 439 runs in 14 matches.
With his impressive track record, PBKS fans will be hoping Iyer can turn their dreams of an IPL title into reality.