Punjab Kings have announced Shreyas Iyer as their captain for the IPL 2025 season. The unique announcement was made by Bollywood superstar Salman Khan during the reality TV show Bigg Boss, alongside Shreyas Iyer, Shashank Singh, and Yuzvendra Chahal.
Expressing gratitude, Iyer said:
“I am honoured that the team has reposed its faith in me. I am looking forward to working again with Coach Ponting. The team looks strong, with a great mix of potential and proven performers. I hope to repay the faith shown by the management to deliver our maiden title.”
Ricky Ponting’s Confidence in Iyer
Punjab Kings head coach Ricky Ponting praised Iyer leadership skills and said:
“Shreyas has a great mind for the game. His proven capabilities as captain will enable the team to deliver. I have enjoyed my time with Iyer in the past in IPL, and I look forward to working with him again. With his leadership and the talent in the squad, I am excited about the seasons ahead.”
Punjab Kings’ CEO Statement
CEO Satish Menon highlighted the strategic move, adding:
“We had identified Shreyas as our captain and were delighted with the auction result. He has already proven himself to master the format, and his vision for the team aligns perfectly with our goals. With him and Ponting joining hands again, we are confident our team has a solid leadership group to guide us to our first title.”
Shreyas Iyer Stellar 2024
The year 2024 was a remarkable one for Shreyas Iyer. He led the Kolkata Knight Riders to victory in the IPL 2024 and captained Mumbai to win the Ranji Trophy, Irani Trophy, and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.
Punjab Kings acquired Iyer for a whopping ₹26.75 crore in the IPL Mega Auction 2024, making him the second-most expensive purchase after Rishabh Pant, who was sold to the Lucknow Super Giants for ₹27 crore.
Auction Highlights
- Punjab Kings retained only Shashank Singh and Prabhsimran Singh, entering the auction with a massive ₹110.5 crore purse.
- The franchise exercised their Right-to-Match (RTM) card to reacquire Arshdeep Singh for ₹18 crore.
- Punjab Kings broke the bank for Iyer, further strengthening their squad under Ponting’s leadership.
Ponting expressed satisfaction with the auction results:
“The auction has gone great. It probably couldn’t have gone much better, to be honest. It’s been a lot of work and a lot of team effort. The analysts have done a terrific job, providing me with much information on the local players. Obviously, I know a lot about the overseas guys.”
Punjab Kings Full Squad for IPL 2025
Captain: Shreyas Iyer
Players:
- Shashank Singh
- Prabhsimran Singh
- Arshdeep Singh
- Yuzvendra Chahal
- Marcus Stoinis
- Glenn Maxwell
- Nehal Wadhera
- Harpreet Brar
- Vishnu Vinod
- Vijaykumar Vyshak
- Yash Thakur
- Marco Jansen
- Josh Inglis
- Lockie Ferguson
- Azmatullah Omarzai
- Harnoor Pannu
- Kuldeep Sen
- Priyansh Arya
- Aaron Hardie
- Musheer Khan
- Suryansh Shedge
- Xavier Bartlett
- Pyla Avinash
- Pravin Dubey
With a strong squad and solid leadership, Punjab Kings aim to clinch their maiden IPL title in the upcoming season.
