Why did Shreyas Iyer add '25.12.2025' as second DOB on Instagram?

What could be a second DOB? That’s perhaps a rebirth of someone who has gone through a tough phase in his career. And that was the exact situation with Shreyas Iyer, who, on the eve of his T20I captaincy debut for India against Ireland during the first T20I of the two-match series, changed his Instagram bio.

That left the fans puzzled with the latest activity. Iyer, who replaced the T20 World Cup 2026-winning captain of the blue brigade- Suryakumar Yadav- will lead the blue brigade for the very first time in the shortest format. Ahead of the opening game in Belfast, he added the cryptic second DOB.

What did Shreyas Iyer change in his Instagram bio — and what does 'second DOB' mean?

On his Instagram bio, Shreyas has updated his second DOB as 25.12.2025, even though he was actually born on December 06 in, 1994, in Mumbai. That doesn’t match each other and raises a question among the cricket fraternity.

Even though there is no official confirmation of the reason, it is thought to be Shreyas’ rebirth in the game. The date, 25.12.2025, highlights that it was the exact day the star batter picked up his bat again after recovering from a serious injury.

Iyer was out of action for a long time when he tried to take a catch of Alex Carey during the third ODI of the three-match series against Australia last year. And he fell on the ground awkwardly to pick up the injury. It could have been worse, but the right-handed batter made a strong comeback.

He has become more spiritual, finds strength in his faith, and his journey is a reminder that faith, discipline, and hard work go hand in hand.

How Shreyas Iyer's T20I performances earned him the India captaincy

Shreyas Iyer’s last T20I clash for India came on December 03 in, 2023, against Australia in Bengaluru. Before being dropped from the shortest format, he smashed 1104 runs in 47 innings at an average of 30.66 and a strike rate of 136.12 with eight half-centuries in the shortest format at the best score of unbeaten 74 runs.

Shreyas, however, worked on his batting in the 20-over format and showed his special skill with the leadership. He won the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 with the Kolkata Knight Riders as the captain before ending as the runner-up in 2025 for the Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the IPL 2025.

In the last three seasons of the IPL, Shreyas has smashed 351, 604, and 498 runs. In 2026, he drilled 498 runs in just 13 innings at an average of 55.33 and a strike rate of 168.81, thanks to five half-centuries and one century at the best score of unbeaten 101 runs.

Iyer will need to continue the same success with the bat and in leadership as India begins their two-year journey for the next T20 World Cup 2028 to make it a hat-trick of the trophies, having won in 2024 and 2026.