The Punjab Kings (PBKS) have appointed Shreyas Iyer as their captain for the upcoming IPL 2025 season. Iyer, who led Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to IPL 2024 title triumph, was the second-most expensive player in the IPL 2025 mega auction as he fetched a staggering Rs 26.75 crore.
Shreyas Iyer appointed Punjab Kings captain
PBKS, however, announced their captain in a unique style as they revealed it on Big Boss 18 show. Big Boss host and Bollywood superstar actor Salman Khan announced it on the stage as Yuzvendra Chahal and Shashank Singh were the special guests of the episode.
Talking about Iyer, he boasts an impressive track record as one of only eight captains to have won the IPL title, having led the Kolkata Knight Riders to victory in the 2024 season. The Punjab Kings, who entered the auction with the largest purse, engaged in a bidding war with the Delhi Capitals, another franchise seeking a new captain, ultimately securing Iyer's services.
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For a brief moment, Iyer held the record for the most expensive player in IPL history. However, this record was short-lived, as the Lucknow Super Giants subsequently acquired Rishabh Pant for a record-breaking INR 27 crore .
As far Iyer's captaincy journey in IPL is concerned, it began in 2018 when he took over the reins of the Delhi Capitals midway through the season, replacing Gautam Gambhir. Under his leadership, Delhi reached the playoffs in 2019 after a seven-year hiatus, although they were eliminated in Qualifier 2 by the Chennai Super Kings.
In 2020, Iyer led Delhi to their first-ever IPL final, but they ultimately lost to the Mumbai Indians. Despite his successful tenure, Delhi appointed Rishabh Pant as their captain for the 2021 season. In 2022, Iyer joined the Kolkata Knight Riders and led them to victory in the 2024 season.
At the Punjab Kings, Iyer will be tasked with ending the franchise's long-standing title drought. With only two playoff appearances in 16 years, the Punjab Kings, who were runners-up in 2014, are eager to break through. The team has significantly bolstered its squad during the auction, acquiring impactful players like Josh Inglis, Marcus Stoinis, and Glenn Maxwell.
The bowling department has also been strengthened with the additions of Marco Jansen, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, and Lockie Ferguson. With a formidable squad, the Punjab Kings are determined to finally end their 11-year wait for playoff qualification.
PBKS full squad for IPL 2025:
Shashank Singh, Prabhsimran Singh, Arshdeep Singh (Rs. 18 crore), Shreyas Iyer (Rs. 26.75 crore), Yuzvendra Chahal (Rs. 18 crore), Marcus Stoinis (Rs. 11 crore), Glenn Maxwell (Rs. 4.20 crore), Nehal Wadhera (Rs. 4.20 crore), Harpreet Brar (Rs. 1.50 crore), Vishnu Vinod (Rs. 95 lakh), Vijaykumar Vyshak (Rs. 1.80 crore), Yash Thakur (Rs. 1.60 crore), Marco Jansen (Rs. 7 crore), Josh Inglis (Rs. 2.60 crore), Lockie Ferguson (Rs. 2 crore), Azmatullah Omarzai (Rs. 2.40 crore), Harnoor Pannu (Rs. 30 lakh), Kuldeep Sen (Rs. 80 lakh), Priyansh Arya (Rs. 3.80 crore), Aaron Hardie (Rs. 1.25 crore), Musheer Khan (Rs. 30 lakh), Suryansh Shedge (Rs. 30 lakh), Xavier Bartlett (Rs. 80 lakh), Pyla Avinash (Rs. 30 lakh), Pravin Dubey (Rs. 30 lakh).