Shreyas Iyer is all set to lead Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the final of IPL 2025 today, 3 June, against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in Ahmedabad. Last year, he captained Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to the title. Now, with his new franchise, he has the chance to claim back-to-back IPL crowns.
Not just as a captain, but also as a batter, he has led from the front. In 16 matches, he has already scored 603 runs, including six fifties. In Qualifier 2, he played a superb unbeaten knock to guide his team to a successful chase in Ahmedabad against the Mumbai Indians (MI) on 1 June.
However, despite his impressive form, Iyer has not been picked in the Indian squad for the upcoming tour of England, where the Men in Blue are set to play a five-match Test series.
Now, ahead of the high-stakes final, former Australia captain Michael Clarke shared his thoughts during a candid conversation with RevSportz’s Editor-in-Chief, Boria Majumdar, particularly on Iyer’s absence from the Test squad.
When asked whether he would have backed the PBKS skipper’s inclusion—given his current form and leadership qualities—Clarke said: “He’s batting beautifully, there’s no doubt about it. Look, at the end of the day, the selectors pick who they think is best for that tour and they go with that, and I’m not one to be critical. It’s not the Australian team.”
EXCLUSIVE@MClarke23 speaks on @ShreyasIyer15‘s performance in #IPL2025 and praises his captaincy ahead of the #IPLFinals.
“If he continues to perform like this I don’t think you can continue not to select him (for the national team)”, says Clarke.#IPLFinal #IPLPlayoffs… pic.twitter.com/5sUlF8ebNV
— RevSportz Global (@RevSportzGlobal) June 3, 2025
“I don’t know enough about all the players, I think, to get involved with that. The one thing with Shreyas Iyer that has impressed me—during the last game against Mumbai Indians, I was on commentary, and I made it very clear: Shreyas Iyer wants to play for India. He wants to be spoken about like all these great players. Then this is the moment. He had to stand up in that semi-final and he did. He batted a class above everyone else. He owned that moment, owned that stage, got his team home. His team were losing wickets. He was brilliant. That’s what international players do. They can own that and win the game off their own bat.”
“He’s disappointed, but he respects that the selectors make their decision” – Clarke on Shreyas Iyer
“Now he’s got the final of the IPL as well—same thing. The expectation doesn’t change when you’re one of the best players. Virat Kohli, every time he walks out to bat, that expectation is there. Now Shreyas Iyer—same thing. If he continues to perform like this, I don’t think you can continue to not select him. All you can do is score runs as a batsman, stand up on the biggest stage, and then the selectors will have to pick you. Shreyas Iyer has done amazing.”
“This IPL—captaincy, tactically, with the bat, leading from the front, dealing with pressure—everything you want from your international players. Even his attitude around not being selected—when I’ve heard him speak about that—I think it’s been respectful. He’s disappointed, but he respects that the selectors make their decision,” Clarke added.
He also praised Iyer’s mindset, saying: “I just have to keep performing. I think that’s the right attitude. That’s what you want from any player who’s not selected. When he gets that chance, he has to grab it with both hands. The other thing is, you don’t want to disrespect the players who have been picked. They get their opportunity. They have the chance to make the most of that in England, in tough conditions. If they’re good enough, then you’ve got to pay that respect too.”
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