The Kolkata Knight Riders of 2024 stand in stark contrast to the team we see now, much like the Punjab Kings of 2024 compared to their current form this season. However, there’s a common thread between the two franchises: both were guided by Shreyas Iyer to strong performance—KKR to the title win last season and PBKS coming to the fore in the current season.
While many believe KKR’s downward slope this season has been due to the absence of mentor Gautam Gambhir, they fail to realise Iyer’s impact as a captain. While Iyer did not contribute much with the bat in the last season for the Kolkata-based franchise and ended the tournament with a strike rate of 146.86, the tide has turned for the skipper under Ricky Ponting. He has accumulated 250 runs in five matches with a high score of 97*. He has been batting with a strike rate of 203.88 and is the second-highest run scorer among Indian batters.
The two teams face off tonight. Fans have dubbed the clash ‘The Shreyas Iyer Derby’ and are looking forward to how the left-hander takes on his old franchise. Iyer and KKR severed ties following their IPL title win last year, with the reason behind the break-up remaining a mystery. Reports suggested KKR had let go of their captain due to differences in expectations regarding commercial compensation. Subsequently, PBKS went big for the left-hander, bidding 26.75cr—the second-highest bid in the history of the IPL. And Iyer did not disappoint as he started off the season with an unbeaten 97 against Gujarat Titans and led the team to their first win of the season.
In the next game against Lucknow Super Giants, he came through with another clutch, unbeaten 52. He finished off the game with a maximum, taking his team to their second win on the trot. He failed to score against Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings but he stepped up yet again in a high-scoring thriller against SRH, while PBKS may not have won the match, Iyer was centre stage with a brilliant 82 (36) run knock.
Meanwhile, KKR have been blowing hot and cold. They started off their campaign with a loss at home against Royal Challengers Bengaluru that started an off-field war between the franchise and the pitch curator, one that is still ongoing. KKR managed to get their campaign back on track and are now at no.5 on the points table with three losses and three wins in six matches. Whereas PBKS follow closely behind at no.6 in the points table, having played one less match than KKR, with two losses and three wins.
As the two franchises face off at Mullanpur tonight, fans expect a run-fest with explosive batters in either team. But more than that, fans want to see how Shreyas Iyer takes on his old franchise—a team he knows inside out. But beyond the battle of bat and ball, it’s a clash of emotions. While KKR may or may not regret parting ways with a captain of Iyer’s caliber, especially after his impressive turnaround with PBKS, Iyer will be eager to showcase his skills and remind KKR what they’re missing out on.