The popular Indian Premier League (IPL) has seen very few captains who have been able to make their impact across multiple franchises. One such name is Shreyas Iyer, whose calm and sharp cricketing mind has seen a change in the respective teams’ fortunes. With a captaincy win percentage of 58.53%, the second-best among top IPL skippers, Shreyas Iyer’s success rate in a competition like the IPL is commendable.
Shreyas Iyer’s inspiring leadership will face its toughest test yet when Punjab Kings host an equally upbeat Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Qualifier 1 of the Indian Premier League in Mullanpur on Thursday. Having earned the cushion of a top-two finish, one can expect both teams to have a no holds barred approach knowing they will get another shot at reaching the final even if they come up short on the opening night of the play-offs.
Punjab Kings secured their place in Qualifier 1 of the IPL 2025 playoffs following a commanding seven-wicket win over Mumbai Indians on May 26. The result confirmed their top-two finish, with skipper Shreyas Iyer once again playing a pivotal role—both with the bat and through his captaincy.
Punjab Kings find themselves in unfamiliar territory having made the play-offs for the first time since 2014 but they are not carrying the baggage of the past in the Shreyas Iyer-Ricky Ponting (head coach) era.
Shreyas Iyer’s achievements as captain in IPL for different teams
Leading Delhi Capitals to their maiden IPL final in 2020
Shreyas Iyer’s leadership stint with Delhi Capitals (DC) began midway through the 2018 season, after Gautam Gambhir stepped down from the role following a poor start to the season. Under Iyer’s captaincy from 2018 to 2021, DC saw a transformation from being constant strugglers to title contenders. In 2018, they finished in eighth place, but in the following three years, the Capitals ensured they reached the playoffs each time.
The best season with the Capitals for Iyer came in 2020, when he guided the franchise to its first-ever IPL final. That year, the right-handed batter not only captained brilliantly but also contributed heavily with the bat. Although they lost the final to the Mumbai Indians, Iyer’s captaincy was highly praised. In 2021, Rishabh Pant was named skipper midway through the season after Iyer was ruled out due to a shoulder injury. Despite being sidelined for the second half of the season, the team managed to qualify for the playoffs.
Shreyas Iyer’s record as captain of DC
| Matches | Won | Lost | Runs | Fifties |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 41 | 23 | 18 | 1,242 | 08 |
 Ended Kolkata Knight Riders’ 10-year title drought in 2024
In 2022, Shreyas Iyer was roped in by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). In his debut season as KKR’s captain, the team endured a poor run, finishing seventh on the points table. An injury-affected 2023 ruled the Mumbai batter out for the entire season, with Nitish Rana taking up the duties. Iyer returned to captain the side in 2024, making it a special year for himself and the franchise, as KKR lifted their third IPL trophy, ending their 10-year title drought.
In the final against Sunrisers Hyderabad, Iyer remained unbeaten on six during the 114-run chase. That year, the 30-year-old scored 351 runs in 14 innings at a strike rate of 146.86. However, despite his heroics and leading the team to IPL glory, he was released ahead of the IPL 2025 mega-auction
Shreyas Iyer’s record as captain of KKR
| Matches | Won | Lost | No Result | Runs | Fifties |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 | 17 | 11 | 01 | 752 | 05 |
Takes Punjab Kings to their first top-two finish since 2014
Shreyas Iyer’s third and current team is the Punjab Kings (PBKS), and he is once again determined to achieve something big with them. Acquired for INR 26.75 crore, Iyer became the second-highest-paid player ever in IPL auctions. However, he has paid back with a solid campaign in the IPL 2025, leading PBKS to their first playoff appearance since 2014 and securing a top-two finish in the league stage. This achievement also made him the first captain to take three different franchises into the IPL playoffs.
Despite not taking the field due to a finger injury in a few games, Iyer was seen guiding stand-in captain Shashank Singh during tough moments. Under his leadership, Punjab are all set to take on Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Qualifier 1, and he will be hoping to make it to his third IPL final as a player and skipper. With many expecting Punjab to finally end their title wait, the star batter will be under immense pressure to get the job done.
Shreyas Iyer’s record as captain of PBKS
| Matches | Won | Lost | No Result | Runs | Fifties |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 | 09 | 04 | 01 | 514 | 05 |
Former India cricketer Robin Uthappa lauded Iyer’s performance this season, pointing to his standout leadership as a defining factor in PBKS’s resurgence that got another feather to their cap with their dominant win over MI. Speaking on JioHotstar, Uthappa noted that Iyer had long shown leadership pedigree, even during his tenure at Kolkata Knight Riders, where he led them to the IPL title in 2024 but, in his view, never received due recognition.
Robin Uthappa lavishes praise on Shreyas Iyer’s leadership
The former Indian cricketer, Robin Uthappa feels that there is the general thought that Punjab Kings’ Shreyas Iyer has always been underappreciated as the captain, Be if for Mumbai, KKR and PBKS, there hasn’t much talks on his leadership even when the likes of Rohit and Kohli are down to playing just one format.
“Shreyas has always been an exceptional captain. You always sensed that he felt underappreciated at KKR despite adding value there. He moved to a franchise where not much had been achieved historically, and then went on to win it for them. That says a lot about his leadership and belief,” Uthappa said in a conversation with JioHotstar.
Following that triumph, KKR surprisingly released Iyer ahead of the 2025 mega auction. PBKS moved swiftly to secure the 30-year-old for a staggering Rs 26.75 crore, a move that now looks more than justified. Shreyas Iyer has not only delivered with the bat—chipping in with a 26 off 16 in the chase against MI—but has also made critical bowling changes throughout the season, often turning games with his tactical awareness.