Shreyas Iyer will be 'hurt' on Kolkata return as Gavaskar rips open KKR wound: 'He has half a dozen points to prove'

Shreyas Iyer will return to the Eden Gardens for the first time as Punjab Kings skipper after leading KKR to title victory last year.

Saturday’s clash between Kolkata Knight Riders and Punjab Kings at Eden Gardens won’t just be about crucial IPL 2025 points. It’ll mark an emotional homecoming for Shreyas Iyer – a title-winning KKR captain now leading the opposition, carrying a fire lit by what many believe was an unjust snub.

Punjab Kings' captain Shreyas Iyer fields the ball during the Indian Premier League (IPL) Twenty20 cricket match between Punjab Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders (AFP)

Iyer, who guided KKR to IPL glory last season, was not retained by the franchise before the mega auction. While KKR did try to buy him back, Punjab Kings won the race with a whopping INR 26.75 crore bid. Earlier in the season, Iyer masterminded a stunning low-score defence, guiding PBKS to victory over KKR in Mullanpur; a result that stung the Kolkata camp.

Now, as the teams prepare for the return fixture in Kolkata, legendary cricketer Sunil Gavaskar believes Iyer will be raring to prove a point.

"He will be fired up. And if he had been, you know, I've been out of form, if they had not done well, then one could understand. But the captain of a winning team not being retained will hurt. No question about it, that will hurt," Gavaskar told the broadcasters, as quoted by India Today.

"Now he's got, he went for much, much more to PBKS, which is fine. That would have given him a little bit of consolation, but nobody wants to be left out, and that is the thing. So clearly, I think he will have a point to prove. Or maybe half a dozen points to prove," he added.

Clarke says previous result won't impact KKR

Michael Clarke, meanwhile, weighed in on KKR’s mindset heading into the match against Punjab Kings. The former Australian skipper doesn’t believe the Mullanpur defeat will weigh too heavily on the home side.

"No, I don't think they will. I think that game will be left in the memory for KKR and they won't want to talk about it ever again, but I think it's gonna be a beauty. Let's see what sort of pitch we get. I think both teams really need to win."

Clarke further compared KKR to Mumbai Indians, suggesting the team has the firepower to bounce back strong.

"KKR is underperforming with their team... I think KKR's one of those teams like Mumbai. If they get a roll on, they're so destructive," he said.