Shreyas Iyer, the newly appointed captain of Punjab Kings (PBKS) for the upcoming Indian Premier League 2025 (IPL 2025), has boldly rated himself a perfect 10/10 as a T20 player. Iyer also said that he hates losing and that mindset has propelled him to become the captain he is today.
After leading the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to IPL glory in 2024, Shreyas Iyer is now ready to bring his winning mentality to Punjab Kings (PBKS). With his leadership skills and batting talent, the Mumbai batter promises to make a big impact in the next edition of the tournament.
I’m a liberating captain: Shreyas Iyer after getting Punjab Kings’ captaincy ahead of the IPL 2025
Speaking about his leadership style, Iyer has emphasized that he believes in giving his players the freedom to express themselves without any pressure to behave a certain way. However, when it comes to being on the field, the Indian batter expects every player to share the same goal of winning and contributing to the team’s success.
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Shreyas Iyer was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo: “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.”
Reflecting on his success as captain last year, Shreyas Iyer feels proud to be among the few captains who have won the IPL title. However, the newly appointed PBKS captain admitted that his journey has been full of challenges, but his winning mentality helped him grow as a captain.
Shreyas Iyer says he hates losing
The Indian middle-order batter further noted, “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.”
Meanwhile, Punjab Kings (PBKS) broke the bank for Iyer, signing the Indian batter for a whopping INR 26.75 crore in the IPL 2025 mega auction, and the cricketer admitted that he was just shocked to see how the teams were fighting for him, and at a point, he covered his ears with cotton.
𝘞𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺! 💫#CaptainShreyas #SaddaPunjab #PunjabKings pic.twitter.com/jCYtx4bbVH
— Punjab Kings (@PunjabKingsIPL) January 12, 2025
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I was absolutely gobsmacked and dumbstruck: Shreyas Iyer on bidding war for him at the IPL 2025 mega auction
Iyer added, “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. Yeah, I was dumbstruck.”
The Mumbai batter is all set to reunite with the Australian legend Ricky Ponting at the Punjab Kings in the IPL 2025. The duo already worked together for the Delhi Capitals, and Iyer said that he is well aware of Ponting’s mindset, and the coach also loves to give freedom to his players like him. Iyer signed off by saying, “Ricky Ponting is someone who likes a person or a player who owns up to his mistakes. That’s one great thing about him.”