Shreyas Iyer sets new captaincy benchmark in IPL as PBKS end playoffs-qualification drought after 11 years
Shreyas Iyer became the first captain in IPL history to lead three different franchises to the playoffs after PBKS successfully qualified on Sunday.
Shreyas Iyer made a piece of history on Sunday evening, as Punjab Kings’ win and Delhi Capitals’ loss vs Gujarat confirmed three of the four teams bound for the IPL 2025 playoffs. In leading PBKS to their first playoff appearance in 11 years, Shreyas Iyer became the first player in the history of the IPL to lead three different teams into the IPL playoffs, a feat that has never been accomplished before.
Iyer first captained Delhi Capitals, ending their streak of seasons with playoffs back in 2019, and then repeating the trick by taking them to the final in 2020. A few years later, Iyer went on to join Kolkata Knight Riders. 10 years on from the last time they won the final, Iyer captained them to a third trophy: in reaching that final, he became the first player to captain and take two different teams to the IPL finals.
When Iyer was purchased at the IPL 2025 auction for INR 26.75 crore by Punjab and announced as their skipper, he joined the ranks of only five players to campaign three different IPL franchises — legendary Sri Lankan pair Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakarra, Australian star Steven Smith, and current KKR captain and the man who replaced Iyer, Ajinkya Rahane.
Ponting-Iyer combo does the trick again
Iyer has also become known as a captain who has tended to take charge of struggling franchises and finds the leadership and motivation to flip the script. DC hadn't made playoffs in 7 years when Iyer captained them, KKR hadn't won the trophy in a decade, and Punjab hadn't made the playoffs since all the way back in 2014. Punjab's reversal of fortune also comes thanks to a personnel change that has seen Ricky Ponting take over as coach: Ponting had been Iyer's coach in DC, and this opportunity to share the field together has borne fruit for Punjab.
Punjab's ambition will now be to finish in the top two, a race they are in a strong position for on 17 points. PBKS beat RR in Jaipur, heaping on 219 thanks to brisk innings in the middle order from Nehal Wadhera and Shashank Singh, before Harpreet Brar's 3-22 ensured they were always just ahead of RR's chase. They are now tied on 17 with RCB, but remain in third place on NRR.
