Since leaving the Kolkata Knight Riders after the 2024 title-winning season, Shreyas Iyer has been on a marauding run within the Indian Premier League. 604 runs in IPL 2025 with the Punjab Kings, and a brilliant begin to IPL 2026 (203 runs at 188 SR), Iyer has continuously despatched a reminder to KKR of what a horrible mistake they dedicated on the finish of 2024.
It’s not solely the unceremonious sacking that damage Shreyas. So as to add insult to harm, the credit score for KKR’s title win totally went to Gautam Gambhir, who left for the Indian crew after that season.
I went again into the IPL public sale pool after many, a few years. Ricky Ponting’s Punjab Kings purchased him for Rs 26.75 crore, and the remainder, they are saying, is historical past. Underneath a extra loving ecosystem, Shreyas Iyer thrived and outbatted himself in IPL 2025, hitting 604 runs at a ridiculous strike price of 175. He was the chief architect behind Punjab reaching their first IPL closing in over a decade, however sadly, the mission remained incomplete.
THE TRAUMA OF IPL 2025
A horribly off day within the subject meant that Punjab did not chase down 191 runs within the summit conflict of the IPL 2025 season. Not solely did they fail, they collapsed horribly, at one time tottering at 94/8 because the hopes of a title win slipped away from their arms.
Now hold that determine, 191, in your thoughts. It is vital, however we’ll come again to it somewhat later.
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However that unbelievable 2025 run was not sufficient to propel him into the Indian T20I crew, which was constructing in direction of the T20 World Cup 2026. Shreyas made his return to the facet in January this yr as a panic name from the selectors, who wished to maintain replacements prepared for India’s struggling center order.
However that was about it.
This, nevertheless, didn’t deter Iyer and his crew, Punjab Kings. Having misplaced the 2025 closing, Punjab returned to the continued version of the IPL with one purpose, to win the competitors. And so they confirmed that, profitable 4 of their first 5 matches. They’d have received the fifth one too, however rain washed out the sport towards Kolkata Knight Riders, when Punjab have been dominating the hosts within the powerplay.
The likes of Prabhsimran Singh, Priyansh Arya, Shashank Singh, and Marco Jansen have come clutch in particular person video games, guiding Punjab to an unbeaten begin within the event. However amidst the raging adrenaline, it has been the ice-cool veins of Shreyas Iyer which have continued to maintain order within the Punjab facet this season.
Now, bear in mind the ‘191’ that we talked about? The goal, Punjab bottled within the closing of the IPL?
The wound maybe minimize Punjab deep sufficient that they aren’t able to let go of a single chase this season.
PUNJAB KINGS: THE NEW CHASE SPECIALISTS
Punjab Kings have chased three targets in IPL 2026. They began strongly towards Gujarat Titans away from house, which they virtually fumbled. Younger Cooper Connolly dragged the facet out of the ditches, serving to Punjab safe 163 runs in 19.1 overs.
If the chase towards GT was a lingering one, Punjab rectified their errors within the subsequent one. Towards Chennai Tremendous Kings, they batted with authority, chasing down a goal of 210 runs in simply 18.4 overs.
Their subsequent chase towards Sunrisers Hyderabad was even higher, as Prabhsimran Singh and Priyansh Arya thrashed their option to a goal of 220 runs in 18.5 overs.
And on Thursday, Punjab did the identical factor once more, chasing down 196 in simply 16.3 overs.
There are two frequent themes on this: one, that they’re steadily getting higher at run chases, and second, that since almost giving up the primary sport, Shreyas Iyer has taken it upon himself to seek out targets in IPL 2026.
Towards CSK: 50 off 29 balls (SR 172)
Towards SRH: 69* off 33 balls (SR 209)
Towards MI: 66 off 35 balls (SR 189)
SHREYAS IYER TEARS DOWN MI
Shreyas’ batting this season has given the vibes of Virat Kohli, who is probably the best chase-master within the historical past of the white-ball sport. However in Shreyas’ case, it isn’t the calm, collected and calculated strategy that stands out.
However it’s the conceitedness in his shot-making, the conceitedness in his stance aimed on the opposition, which continuously hurls a singular message at them: I’m going to smash you out of the park, and you can’t do something about it.
In his newest chase towards the Mumbai IndiansIyer began his innings with a canopy drive off Allah Ghazanfar, who had simply picked up two wickets. However the wickets column didn’t trouble Iyer in any respect. At first, he gave a number of strike to Prabhsimran Singh, who had not confronted many balls within the powerplay, after which later, took issues into his personal arms.
As soon as set, Iyer actually leaned into Jasprit Bumrah and Shardul Thakur, making the duo look odd at their very own house floor. It’s not each day that Bumrah comes out with figures of 4-0-41-0, virtually as costly as Shardul’s 3-0-42-1.
Iyer’s innings was dropped at an finish by a sensational Naman Dhir catch within the sixteenth over, however by then Punjab had 184 runs on board, lower than 10 runs away from their goal.
Punjab’s captain’s confidence brimmed on the post-match presentation ceremony as he took huge confidence from the win.
“Actually assured and optimistic going ahead. I feel the way in which we have been taking part in thus far, it is phenomenal. And in addition on the similar time, we have our heads on our shoulders. We all know that each sport that we’ll come on to the sphere, it will be essential for us as a crew and as a unit. So it is a collective effort total and I am glad that in the present day we got here up and we obtained that complete victory,” Shreyas Iyer stated within the post-match presentation.
His swagger was on level as properly. Requested in regards to the game-changing second, Iyer didn’t speak about his batting, however pointed to the unbelievable gravity-defying effort that he put in to dismiss Quinton de Kock.
A relay catch, Iyer flung himself backward over the boundary ropes, saved a six and threw the ball again into play for Xavier Bartlett to finish a secure catch. The scorecard won’t ever bear in mind the hassle, however those that watched it won’t neglect it.
“We have got this tendency of pulling again the sport, even towards SRH the way in which we bowled after the powerplay, the blokes got here in collectively and stated that, okay, we’re going to see to it that, negate the boundaries as a lot as doable and be within the current and benefit from the second quite than pondering means forward of the sport,” Iyer stated.
“I’ve seen the group coming in numbers and the way in which they have been cheering for the final couple of video games. I feel the fan following is unquestionably going excessive and it is so good to see folks coming in numbers and cheering for us, supporting and showering their love,” Iyer concluded.
He could be out of the Indian T20I crew, he could be out of captaincy consideration, however Shreyas Iyer repeatedly proves that he’s proper up there with the perfect on the planet with regards to all-format cricket.
His logic-defying catch, his assault on Bumrah are additional proof that that is his time, and it could be a grave mistake for India in the event that they miss out on it, identical to KKR did once they let him go after the IPL 2024 season.
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