Two steps away from back to back IPL titles with different franchises, Shreyas Iyer the captain has proved his mettle

Shreyas Iyer transforms Punjab Kings

It was just days after he had suffered a debilitating shoulder injury that I had a chat with Shreyas Iyer. 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 missed cricket for months made him even more determined.

It was the same determination that was on show last night against the Mumbai Indians as he led Punjab to the top spot in the IPL points table. 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 to the top spot has to go to Iyer.

In fact, he is just two games away from winning back to back IPL titles with two different franchises. If he is able to do so, it will be an astounding achievement and a huge moment for Iyer the captain. When KKR won the title in 2024 a large part of the credit was given to Gautam Gambhir. Iyer, to an extent, was overshadowed. Gautam was a bigger name and was celebrated more. Iyer, however, did not waste time over what happened. When things did not go well with KKR, he had a new challenge to look up to. To prove how good he is as captain. The results are evidence he has made his point. In fact, unlike in football where it is the manager or coach, in cricket it is always the captain. The truth is, it wasn’t the case with Iyer in 2024 with Gautam in charge for KKR.

Shreyas, unlike some, has scored thousands of runs in domestic cricket at a very healthy average of 49. He also has a staggering strike rate to go with the volume of runs. In fact, in 2024-5, he has an average of 68 in Ranji Trophy cricket. And yet he was overlooked for India’s red ball team to the UK. For many it would have been a telling blow. Not so for Iyer. He came back within a day and led Punjab in style.

When you are up against the Mumbai Indians, arguably the arguably the most successful team in the IPL, there is always an added pressure on the opposing captain. MI has built an aura around them and Iyer needed to counter it. And he did. Be it in his bowling changes or the way Punjab approached the game, it was evident that Iyer was in control. The field placings were immaculate and Punjab was oozing energy from ball go. It all came together when Vyshak was bowling at a crucial time in the innings. With Rohit and Surya, MI could have cut loose. First Brar and then Vyshak, Iyer was brilliant with his bowling changes and field placings.

Mentally, it can be conjectured, Shreyas was ready soon after Punjab picked him in the auction. He has a certain steel about him and that should help him going forward as well. With the point proved, he will now want to win it for Punjab. They have come close once or twice but never tasted IPL glory. With Iyer in charge there is always a chance. He will believe it can be done and will lead from the front in getting it done. That’s when the pain of not being given his due in 2024, of missing out on the central contract, the England tour and a lot more will have been really overcome. For the moment though it is Iyer the captain who has stopped Mumbai in their tracks. And seeing MI’s record it is no mean feat. As Punjab gets ready for the play offs on home soil, here’s wishing Shreyas all the best.