Shreyas Iyer had a strong first year as the captain of Punjab Kings in IPL 2025. This season was special as it marked the team’s return to the finals for the first time since 2014, although they lost to Royal Challengers Bengaluru by six runs. Iyer stood out as PBKS’s top scorer, racking up 604 runs in 17 games, including six half-centuries. His stunning 87* in the Qualifier 1 against Mumbai Indians was a memorable performance that nearly secured victory for his team.

A report in The Indian Express, which cites a key figure in Indian cricket, says that Iyer’s success as a captain is a major highlight of the tournament. While he’s currently focused on ODIs, there’s growing talk of him being included in the T20 and Test teams after this season. Right now, Rohit Sharma leads the ODI team, and Suryakumar Yadav is the T20I captain. Iyer didn’t make the cut for the Test series against England.

In 2024, he played a crucial role for Kolkata Knight Riders, and in 2025, he almost led Punjab to a championship. Although he didn’t walk away with the trophy, he proved he can be a key leader for India in the future. Iyer became the third captain, after MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma, to lead three different IPL teams to finals in just five years, which is impressive, especially considering he wasn’t selected for the upcoming Test tour of England.

KKR decided not to retain him last year, thinking his fee was too high, which turned out to be a big mistake for them and a great opportunity for Punjab. They gained a dedicated and insightful captain in Iyer, who seems to handle both success and challenges with ease.

There’s some uncertainty around Shubman Gill, who will face his own challenges as captain in England. After IPL 2025, Iyer’s name could be up there among the best captains in Indian cricket. He has a calmness like Dhoni, an aggressive style like Kohli when needed, and a laid-back vibe like his teammate Rohit Sharma.

Iyer expressed his disappointment about losing by just six runs, saying, “The job’s only half done. We have to win it next year.” His coach, Ricky Ponting, also mentioned how surprised he was that Iyer wasn’t included in the England squad. I was really disappointed… but he’s taken it pretty well and moved on, Ponting said before the IPL playoffs. He has a real desire to win and to grow as a captain.