Punjab Kings skipper Shreyas Iyer has made IPL history by becoming the first captain to lead three different franchises to the final of the Indian Premier League.
After earlier stints with Delhi Capitals (2020) and Kolkata Knight Riders (2024), Iyer has now taken PBKS to their second IPL final, where they will face Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Tuesday.
Iyer’s stunning unbeaten 87 off 41 balls in Qualifier 2 against Mumbai Indians was instrumental in PBKS booking their place in the final — their first since 2014.
Following the match, former India cricketer Robin Uthappa took to X (formerly Twitter), proclaiming that Iyer is destined to captain Team India across formats in the future. “I’ve said this time and again and I’ll say it AGAIN!! Iyer will captain India in multiple formats!! He has to!! He’s that good,” Uthappa tweeted.
From Overlooked to Leading Contender
Despite his form, Shreyas Iyer is currently not part of India’s Test or T20I squads and was not picked for the upcoming series against England. However, he was a key contributor during India’s undefeated Champions Trophy campaign earlier this year.
In the IPL 2025 season, Iyer has been lauded for both his leadership and batting. Bought by PBKS for ₹26.75 crore, the 30-year-old has silenced critics with match-winning performances and tactical brilliance that helped Punjab reach the playoffs for the first time in over a decade.
Many fans and analysts believe Iyer was underrated during KKR’s title win in 2024, with then-mentor Gautam Gambhir receiving most of the praise. His recent success with PBKS has reignited the debate around his national captaincy prospects.
