Latest news with #IPLPlayoffs
NDTV
04-06-2025
- General
- NDTV
New 'Captain Cool' In Town: Shreyas Iyer Could Be The Leader India Needs
He was a Knight in the shining armour for Kolkata in 2024 and in 2025, became the King who almost led Punjab to the crown. Shreyas Iyer's IPL season didn't end with the trophy but he well and truly established himself as the leader that India might need in the not-so-distant future. Iyer became the third skipper after Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Rohit Sharma to captain an IPL franchise to three finals and he did it with three different teams in the last five years. That's some range for a player, who astoundingly did not make the Indian Test team for the tour of England this month. KKR let him go last year as they didn't consider his demand for a higher retention fee to be just. Their loss was, needless to say, a massive gain for Punjab Kings. They got an astute captain and a passionate leader of the men in the 30-year-old, who knows a thing or two about handling the highs and lows of a career with grace. The jury is still out on Shubman Gill, who will face a trial by fire as captain in England. But after June 3, 2025, Shreyas Santosh Iyer should be rated as one of the best captains in Indian cricket. There is a Dhoni-like cool quotient, a Virat Kohli-like aggressive streak when the situation demands and also a ''Bindaas Mumbaikar in him just like his illustrious India teammate Rohit Sharma. "Job is still half done, we have to win it next year," Iyer's confidence shone through the disappointment of missing it this time by a mere six runs in Ahmedabad on Tuesday night. That he is not in the squad for England has surprised none more than his Punjab Kings coach Ricky Ponting. "I actually was he's accepted that really well and he's moved on," Ponting said on The ICC Review of Iyer, prior to the IPL Playoffs. "He's just got that real hunger in his eyes to do well every time that he plays for us here and wants to win games of cricket and wants to evolve and develop into the best leader and captain that he can be." Been through the grind A statement like that coming from a two-time World Cup winning captain carries weight and Ponting didn't say that just to back his franchise captain. The two do go back a long way. In the 2017 season when the now India head coach Gautam Gambhir decided to quit captaincy mid-season, it was on Ponting's insistence that Iyer became the captain of the Delhi IPL franchise. The only time Capitals played the finals, in 2020, was under Iyer. After an injury-forced break that Iyer endured, the Capitals decided that they could not hold on to him and risk losing Rishabh Pant, a rising star of that time with burning captaincy ambitions. Iyer went to KKR as captain in 2024, but got very little credit for their trophy-winning run as he batted in the lower order to suit the needs of the team. His then KKR coach Gambhir walked away with major credits for tactical nous, while the skipper's instinctive decisions and meticulous homework went relatively unnoticed. However, if a player leads two different franchises, with different managements, philosophies and changed roster of players to the finals in back-to-back seasons, his strategic brilliance can't go unrecognised for too long. And Iyer finally got his due this season. It became clear that his grasp on match situations and strategies was second to none. He knew that on pitches where there is lack of bounce, Kyle Jamieson's back of the length deliveries will work and it turned out to be a masterstroke. Against Gujarat Titans, he asked Vijaykumar Vyshak to nail the wide yorkers repeatedly and it worked. Against Mumbai Indians in Qualifier 2, he told him to take pace off his deliveries with knuckle balls and that worked too. He has shown that possibly, after Rohit Sharma calls it quits in ODIs, he can be thought of as a candidate for leadership considering he is a phenomenal 50-over batter. And when it comes to T20s and Tests, it's a matter of time before he plays both formats again. What drives Iyer the captain? "First and foremost clarity of thought. He is a very process-driven man. He doesn't miss his routines and drills pertaining to physical fitness. There are no cheat days. But most importantly, he has limited his friend circle over the years. "He does that to ensure no negativity creeps into his system," someone who has worked very closely with Iyer in the past couple of years told PTI. For his batting, the mental aspect and visualisation has been handled by Abhishek Nayar while childhood coach Praveen Amre rebuilt his game when he was away from the Indian team. "Constantly visualising with a bat in his hand. working on his head position, body stance and visualising every delivery," a close friend said. He can be livid when a player isn't giving his 100 percent (the Shashank Singh run out in Qualifier 2) and at the same time, he can put an arm around Priyansh Arya's shoulder asking him to carry on with his natural strokeplay. When Punjab Kings lost to RCB in the first qualifier, he had said, "We have lost a battle not the war". From that moment one could see that Indian cricket has a leader in the making, someone who has the ability to sift through the run of the mill stuff and look at the bigger picture. Shreyas Iyer has well and truly arrived.
NDTV
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- NDTV
"That Was Turning Point": Shreyas Iyer On Game-Changing Moment In IPL 2025 Final
Punjab Kings skipper Shreyas Iyer was left dejected after his side suffered a six-run defeat against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, but remained optimistic that his side has what it takes to return next year and lift the trophy. The 2025 edition saw Punjab Kings reach the final for the first time in 11 years, second overall, and saw them make only their third overall appearance in the IPL Playoffs. On his part, Shreyas Iyer was appearing in his second straight IPL final after leading Kolkata Knight Riders to the title in 2024. Iyer, who is the first captain in history to lead three franchises to the finals of the tournament (Delhi Daredevils are third), hailed his side's fearless performance throughout the season and acknowledged the game-changing effort of Krunal Pandya. 'Dejected, to be honest, but the way our boys came up to the occasion, it wasn't meant to be, but a lot of credit goes to the support staff, the owners, and everyone else who's participated in this. Considering the last game, I personally felt that 200 was a par score. They bowled brilliantly, especially Krunal, who carries a lot of experience. I believe that was the turning point. I am very proud of each and every individual who has participated in this team. 'There are a lot of youngsters who are playing their first season, and they've shown a lot of fearlessness. We wouldn't be here without them. Kudos to them. We have to be here and win the trophy next year. The way we turned up to each match was with a belief of saying, 'We can win this game'. Hopefully, we can be here next season and play some good cricket,' said Iyer in the post-game interview. Iyer had ignited the hopes of all PBKS fans with his exceptional leadership throughout the season. His game-winning knock of 87 saw his team eliminate five-time champions Mumbai Indians in Qualifier 2. Unfortunately, he could not make an impact on the night that mattered the most as he fell for just 1 off 2 deliveries. Chasing 191 for victory, PBKS could manage only 184/7 in 20 overs, thanks mainly to Shashank Singh (61 not out) and Josh Inglis 39. Listen to the latest songs, only on
NDTV
03-06-2025
- Business
- NDTV
England Test Snub Makes Shreyas Iyer "Little Bit Hungrier" For IPL 2025 Title: PBKS Coach Ricky Ponting
Punjab Kings head coach Ricky Ponting spoke about Shreyas Iyer 's snub from India's Test squad for England series. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) overlooked the PBKS captain while picking up the team for the upcoming five-match Test series against the Three Lions, starting June 20. Ponting, who is currently working with Iyer at PBKS, said that he was "gutted" over the selection committee's decision to leave out the right-handed batter. "I actually was he's accepted that really well and he's moved on," Ponting said on The ICC Review before the IPL Playoffs. "He's just got that real hunger in his eyes to do well every time that he plays for us here and wants to win games of cricket and wants to evolve and develop into the best leader and captain that he can be," he added. The decision taken by the Ajit Agarkar -led selection committee regarding Iyer left Pointing "disappointed". The PBKS head coach, however, added that the snub only helped Iyer to strive more for success. "Certain other players that have been picked in that (Test) squad have done it on the back of good first-class cricket and good IPL seasons leading up to that selection and Shreyas has done absolutely everything the same as some of those other players," Ponting said. "So I was disappointed that he didn't get picked as I actually felt that he would get picked. But he didn't. And I think that probably makes him a little bit hungrier for us when these playoff games come around." India selected an 18-member squad for the England Test series with the likes of Abhimanyu Easwaran and Karun Nair making a comeback to the national team. Rising batting sensation Sai Sudharsan was also given a maiden national call-up in the squad. India's squad for England Tests: Shubman Gill (Captain), Rishabh Pant (Vice-captain and Wicketkeeper), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Siraj, , Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav Listen to the latest songs, only on
Mint
03-06-2025
- Business
- Mint
Shreyas ‘hungrier' because of England Test snub: Ricky Ponting makes massive remark ahead of IPL Final
Punjab Kings coach Ricky Ponting has revealed that Shreyas Iyer has accepted the Indian selectors' decision not to include him in the 18-member squad for the five-match England series, and that he is now more determined than ever to perform for the franchise. Notably, the 30-year-old batter has turned the fortunes of PBKS around, leading the franchise to their first IPL final in 11 years. Iyer was not included in the BCCI contract last year due to missing a domestic match. This year, however, Iyer returned to domestic cricket and amassed a plethora of runs in all formats, putting his Test return in contention. However, selectors were unimpressed by Iyer's effort as he did not find a place in the 18 man squad led by Shubman Gil. Ponting in a conversation with the ICC Review ahead of the IPL Playoffs said, "I actually was he's accepted that really well and he's moved on," "He's just got that real hunger in his eyes to do well every time that he plays for us here and wants to win games of cricket and wants to evolve and develop into the best leader and captain that he can be," the former Australian captain added. "So I was disappointed that he didn't get picked as I actually felt that he would get picked. But he didn't. And I think that probably makes him a little bit hungrier for us when these playoff games come around." Ponting further noted. While the conversation was recorded ahead of the Playoffs, Ponting almost predicted Iyer's mood. The Punjab Kings captain put on a show in Ahmedabad on Sunday as he single handedly led his franchise to win the match Qualifier 2 match against the Mumba Indians with an 87 run knock. Iyer's innings, undoubtedly, was the talk of the town but the even more talked about element was how Iyer didn't even flinch after hitting the winning runs. The PBKS skipper just hugged the non-striker and removed his helmet while heading towards the dugout in a determined fashio, almost as if he had piled up something special as his franchise takes on Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the IPL Finals.
United News of India
02-06-2025
- Sport
- United News of India
Ponting believes Test snub is inspiring Iyer to perform
Mumbai, June 2 (UNI) Ricky Ponting believes in-form Shreyas Iyer is determined to prove national selectors wrong and guide Punjab Kings to their first Indian Premier League title. Iyer was a notable absentee when India named their 18-player squad for their upcoming five-match Test tour of England, and the in-form right-hander has responded well by scoring runs and leading the Kings into the IPL final against Royal Challengers Bangalore. If the Kings manage to win, this will be their maiden IPL title. ICC Hall of Famer and Punjab Kings head coach Ponting discussed Iyer's absence from India's Test squad on The ICC Review last week and the Australian great said the in-form middle-order batter had moved on quickly from the disappointment to try and focus on helping the Kings create history in the IPL. "I actually was gutted…but he's accepted that really well and he's moved on," Ponting said on The ICC Review of Iyer, prior to the IPL Playoffs commencing. "He's just got that real hunger in his eyes to do well every time that he plays for us here and wants to win games of cricket and wants to evolve and develop into the best leader and captain that he can be." Iyer was one of India's best performers during their run to the finals in the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023, and was the side's leading run-scorer at the ICC Champions Trophy event at the start of this year. He has also scored plenty of runs recently against the red ball at the first-class level in India, and Ponting thought that strong form would have seen Iyer win a recall to the Test side. "Certain other players that have been picked in that (Test) squad have done it on the back of good first-class cricket and good IPL seasons leading up to that selection and Shreyas has done absolutely everything the same as some of those other players," Ponting noted. "So I was disappointed that he didn't get picked as I actually felt that he would get picked. But he didn't. And I think that probably makes him a little bit hungrier for us when these playoff games come around." Ponting's working relationship with Iyer is not a new partnership, with the pair having combined previously at the Delhi Capitals and having helped the side into the playoffs from 2019 to 2021, and an appearance in the final in 2020. The duo get the chance to go one better this year against Royal Challengers Bangalore, with Iyer's match-winning innings of 87 not out from just 41 deliveries against the Mumbai Indians on Sunday helping the Kings earn their place in the final in what is Ponting's first year as coach of the franchise. Iyer scored 243 runs from five innings at India's successful Champions Trophy earlier this year and has tallied 603 runs for the Kings from 16 innings at the IPL this year to be sixth overall on the leading run-scorer charts. "I enjoy playing a bit of a role with him as we work really well together," Ponting said. "We talk a lot together about the game and tactics and, I think he said last night that he said 'that I leave it to Ricky to look after the tactical stuff and pick the players, and then he hands it over to me and I go and execute it out on the field'. "And that's the way we've worked, this year and it's been nice to get that sort of working relationship back together again," Ponting added. UNI BM
