It was just days after he suffered a debilitating shoulder injury that I had a chat with Shreyas. He was in pain but the resolve had not gone away one bit. While he was still unsure if he needed surgery, his focus was very much on the comeback. He wanted the big stage for himself and was determined to make a mark. That he had to undergo surgery and miss cricket for months made him even more determined.
It was the same determination that was on show tonight against the Mumbai Indians (MI) as he led Punjab to the IPL final. Make no mistake, Iyer has been the best captain in this IPL. Playing a stellar hand with the bat and marshalling his resources with tremendous ability, a lot of credit for Punjab’s march has to go to Shreyas. It would be unfair if I don’t mention Nehal Wadhera. He was sensational and helped Shreyas all the way.
James Hopes, Punjab Kings:
We came into the game knowing that the wicket was a fast scoring pitch. We wanted to bat second and the pitch played pretty well. We did it easy with 6 balls to go and it was a special knock from the captain. pic.twitter.com/MHcV0DYCFp
— RevSportz Global (@RevSportzGlobal) June 1, 2025
In fact, he is just one game away from winning back-to-back IPL titles with two different franchises. If he is able to do so, it would be an astounding achievement and a huge moment for Shreyas the captain. When KKR won the title in 2024, a large part of the credit was given to Gautam Gambhir. Shreyas, to an extent, was overshadowed. Gambhir was a bigger name and was celebrated more. Shreyas, however, did not waste time over what happened. When things did not go well with KKR, he had a new challenge to look to. To prove how good he is as captain. The results are evidence that he has made his point. And under extreme pressure.
Tonight against Mumbai, the match was in the balance with Mumbai slightly ahead till the 13th over of the Punjab innings. Recce Topley was bowling to Iyer, and all of a sudden things changed. Three back-to-back sixes, and Shreyas had taken control. He had wrested the initiative and it had started to show on Hardik Pandya’s face. That’s when it changed. MI were no longer able to control things and even Bumrah, the master, went for runs.
When you are up against the Mumbai Indians, arguably the most successful team in the IPL, there is always an added pressure on the opposing captain. MI have built an aura around them and Shreyas needed to counter it. And he did. He had a certain steel about him and that should help him in the final as well. Punjab have come close twice before, but never tasted IPL glory. With Shreyas in charge, there is a chance. He will believe it can be done and will lead from the front in getting it done. As Punjab get ready for the final against RCB, we know we will have a new champion. And that’s not bad for the tournament.