Last edition’s runners-up Punjab Kings have gotten off to a great start and are the only undefeated team in IPL season, but captain Shreyas Iyer maintains that even as they pursue their first trophy, the emphasis must stay on the here and now.
Iyer, who joined the team after leading the Kolkata Knight Riders to the 2024 championship, has been essential to their comeback after reuniting with Ricky Ponting at PBKS.
Punjab have looked formidable with four wins from five matches, while one game against Kolkata Knight Riders ended in a washout.
“The mission, obviously, is to lift the trophy. But I always feel that the more you stay in the present, the more you stay in control of what is in your hands at that moment and you just have to go full throttle,” PTI quoted Iyer as saying on JioStar.
“You don’t have to think too far ahead or dwell on the past. I reiterate the same point to my teammates as well – when we are out there, we are playing for ourselves, not against the opponents. We just want to improve each day and make sure we put our best foot forward. When everything comes together and that synergy builds, everything falls into place.”
With three consecutive fifties in as many innings, Iyer has dominated the middle order. His IPL 2025 match-winning 97 against Gujarat Titans marked the start of his PBKS tenure and laid the groundwork for his successful tenure as captain.
Iyer stated he put the team’s goal ahead of his own milestone after thinking back on that innings, in which he failed to reach a hundred.
“Honestly, at that moment, I told Shashank Singh not to over think because there were 10 balls left. I thought I would get at least one ball out of those 10. So, I told him, ‘You can play freely, don’t think too much’. In the last over as well, I gave him that belief that it’s okay to take it on and not worry about my hundred.
“In the back of my mind, I felt I would get at least one ball somehow. But then he played the entire over, and I was happy that we got 240 on the board. To get that score in the first match of the season sets the rhythm.”
Recalling how lead pacer Arshdeep Singh recommended using Vijaykumar Vyshak as an Impact Player in that game, when he produced tidy figures, Iyer also emphasized the value of following players’ gut feelings.
“When you are on the ground, every individual is involved in the game and everyone’s inputs matter. When bowlers come and say they can execute a certain plan, it’s important to back them because their instincts can be strong as well.
“At the same time, there are situations when they run out of ideas and ask what they should do, and that’s when I step in. It goes hand in hand – it’s not like I always dictate terms. Even in team meetings, players come up with solid points and you have to value what they bring.
“We had discussed bowling wide yorkers to Sherfane Rutherford because wherever else we pitched, he was going bonkers. The plan worked, and Vyshak ended up being the hero.”
Last season, PBKS’ victory over KKR, who were cruising at 62/2, was one of their most encouraging victories. They bowled them out for 95 while defending a modest 111. With 4/28, Yuzvendra Chahal was the star.
“As soon as we got two wickets, they stitched together a solid partnership. I wanted them to feel a bit of pressure, so with close-in fielders, I tried to make them feel like we were right in their face.
“The idea was to push them into doing something extra or playing a shot that wasn’t necessary, and that worked well. I made the field more attacking when a new batter came in, and they tried to play improvisational shots.
“Credit goes to the bowlers – they were very consistent with their lines and lengths and had an attacking mindset. I keep telling them in every game that it’s not over until the last ball is bowled or the last run is scored. You never give up, you fight till the end.”
On a more lighthearted note, Iyer also discussed the title of “Sarpanch” he had acquired in the team.
“I love it. I was clueless at the start of my journey with Punjab Kings about how the ‘Sarpanch’ tag came up and what it meant. But later, when I asked a couple of my teammates, they explained that ‘Sarpanch’ means the head of a family, a group, or even a district. That gave me clarity, and from there onwards, my journey started.”
On Sunday, PBKS will play their sixth game of the season against the Lucknow Super Giants.
