Shreyas Iyer has established himself as one of the most promising captains in the circuit. His journey as a leader began when he was entrusted to lead Delhi Capitals (DC) mid-season in the Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2018. He took DC to playoffs thrice and the franchise also played their only final under him in 2020.
Iyer's leadership credentials have only grown stronger over the years. After his stint with DC, he guided Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to an IPL title in 2024.
He became the captain of Punjab Kings (PBKS) ahead of the 2025 edition of the tournament. He led the side to their first final since 2014. Although Punjab faltered in the summit clash, Shreyas Iyer did well as a leader throughout the season.
"I’ve Embraced It" -Shreyas Iyer Loving the Captain’s Role
Shreyas Iyer recently opened up about his experience as a captain. He stated that the role has brought him a lot of maturity and responsibility.
Reflecting on his journey, he shared,
"It (captaincy) brings in a lot of maturity and responsibility. You are always expected to perform and contribute in the best way possible for the team because whenever there is a hurdle or some kind of adversity you face as a team, they always come to the captain. I think I have got a lot of experience as I have been captaining since I was 22. I have enjoyed the moments and also embraced it. I love the fact to come out and lead."
Having captained various teams from a young age, Iyer spoke on the importance of embracing the role and the challenges that come with it.
"I just try to get into my zone, and I try to do things which are there in front of me. I try to stay focused as much as possible, just to stay in the present, embrace the situation, and embrace the crowd because sometimes they get very electrifying and pass on the energy to you. So I keep telling myself that I want the crowd to cheer my name, and that brings that kind of motivation," he added.
The 30-year-old is currently playing the T20 Mumbai League 2025. He is captaining SoBo Mumbai Falcons and helped them qualify for the playoffs, ending the league stage with four wins in five matches. They will now face NaMo Bandra Blasters in the semi-final scheduled on June 10 at the Wankhede Stadium.
Shreyas Iyer in Race to Become to India’s Captain
Though Punjab Kings lost the IPL 2025 final to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), Iyer is being looked at for the captaincy role of the Indian team.
He has been constantly doing well as a skipper and as per The Indian Express, he has now officially joined the white-ball captaincy race.
"Right now he just plays ODIs but after this IPL we can’t keep him out of T20 internationals and even Tests. Plus he also has now officially joined the white-ball captaincy race," a source said as quoted to The Indian Express.
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