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Since making his international debut for India during a T20I match against New Zealand in Delhi on November 1, 2017, Iyer has played 51 matches and scored 1104 runs.
Shreyas Iyer says he believes in winning all the time. (Picture Credit: PTI)
Star Indian middle-order batter Shreyas Iyer, who was appointed as the new captain of Punjab Kings on Sunday, January 12, for the upcoming 2025 edition of the Indian Premier League, has rated himself as a 10/10 T20 player and said that he doesn’t like to doubt himself. Iyer, who made his international debut for India on November 1, 2017, during a T20I match against New Zealand in Delhi, has played a total of 14 Tests, 62 ODIs, and 51 T20Is so far. He was last seen in action for India during the ODI match against Sri Lanka in Colombo on August 7, 2024, and his last T20I was against Australia in Bengaluru on December 3, 2023.
The right-handed batter from Mumbai, who led Kolkata Knight Riders to the IPL 2024 title win, also opened up about his captaincy style and said he hates losing and that attitude has elevated him to where he is at the moment as captain.
“I’m a liberating captain. I just let the players be. I don’t want them to behave in any particular way. But when we are on the field, I want each and every individual to have the same mindset and the same motto: winning and contributing towards the team’s benefit. That’s it. I don’t want anything else,” Iyer was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo.
“It’s a proud feeling to be one of the eight guys (to win the IPL title as captain). The journey has been like a rollercoaster ride; it has never been easy. I’m someone who believes thoroughly in winning all the time. I hate losing, personally, and I think that’s what has elevated me to where I am right now as a captain,” he added.
Iyer will play for Punjab Kings in the 2025 edition of the IPL, which is reportedly set to start on March 21. The right-handed batter who made his IPL debut in 2015 was signed by the Mohali-based franchise for Rs 26.75 crore in the IPL 2025 mega auction, which took place in Jeddah on November 24 and 25 last year.
According to Iyer, he was absolutely gobsmacked after becoming the first player in IPL history to break the Rs 25 crore mark.
“I was absolutely gobsmacked. I wasn’t expecting that amount, but I was expecting somewhere around that amount. So once (the bidding) crossed a certain point, I was covering my ears with cotton, and I just didn’t want to stay in front of the TV. I was in Hyderabad at that point of time, playing Syed Mushtaq Ali. Yeah, I was dumbstruck,” he said.
In IPL 2025, Iyer will reunite with Ricky Ponting, who is the head coach of the franchise. Iyer has previously worked with Ponting during his time with Delhi Capitals.
Speaking about Ponting, Iyer said, “I’ve worked with him in the past; I know how his mindset is, and I know he gives that sort of freedom.”
“I know his nature—he is someone who likes a person or a player who owns up to his mistakes. That’s one great thing about him,” he added.
