Shreyas Iyer Pulls Multiple Triggers to Bring Punjab Kings to Relevance

In 2018, when Gautham Gambhir stepped down as captain, Shreyas Iyer stood up. It was a struggling franchise having not made the playoffs since 2012. Iyer got the chance to lead; they finished last in 2018, but in 2019, he ruled and took them to the playoffs. In 2020, he went a step forward with the team, making it to the Finals. For a side that made the playoffs thrice in 10 years, Shreyas Iyer led them to the playoffs in consecutive seasons from 2019-2020. 

Come to KKR, another struggling unit that finished 7th in 2023 until Shreyas Iyer took the reins in 2024 again. Back as leader for a side that has not won since 2024, he led a team that looked covered in all formats, dominating with bat and ball, and led them to the trophy.

2025, though, saw an even bigger challenge. Punjab Kings, a side that has been there since the tournament's inception, and a side that is known to be perennial wooden spoon winners. They last reached the Final in 2014 and have qualified for the playoffs only twice. Taking over the team, though, Iyer, along with Ponting, took them to the Finals in 2025, and in 2026, they look eager to go the distance yet again. 

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The best part for Punjab and Iyer is the fact that their captain is not in the spotlight with performances. With the bat, there is a list of players who can get you one after the other. If not Priyansh Arya, it's Prabhsimran; if not him, it's Cooper Conolley, a youngster who has been given the confidence to go for it. If all three fail, the captain himself comes in, as he has been like a master in this tournament with two fifties. The line-up does not stop with him, though, with Marcus Stoinis and Sashank Singh proving to be capable sloggers in the back.

The bowling, though, is where the army comes together. Shreyas Iyer, the captain, has options that allow him to pull the trigger for any situation. In Arshdeep Singh and Xavier Bartlett, the new ball is settled while Yuzvendra Chahal, the IPL's leading wicket-taker, continues his mastery. The death overs are settled with Arshdeep nailing his wide line yorkers and Vyshak Vijaykumar proving to be a capable death bowler as well. Not to forget, Marco Jansen, the South African giant with the capability of extracting bounce that can bother any batters, Punjab has a bowling line-up that can cover any situation.