Shreyas Iyer, the newly appointed skipper of Punjab Kings, has expressed his ambition to bat at No. 3 in the IPL 2025. Iyer who generally batted at two down in international cricket proved to be India’s point of difference at No. 4 during their unbeaten run to the Champions Trophy championship in Dubai.
Iyer also led the Kolkata Knight Riders to the IPL 2024 title, batting predominantly at the no. 4 position. Although he occasionally demoted himself to No. 5 or No. 6 to accommodate the team’s needs.
Iyer will reconnect with Ricky Ponting after their success at the Delhi Capitals, where they helped the team reach the playoffs from 2019 to 2021, including the final in 2020.
PBKS spent INR 26.75 crore (about USD 3.18 million) on Iyer, making him the second-most expensive player in an IPL auction, to integrate him into their squad. During a press conference, Shreyas Iyer spoke out about his and his team’s preparation for the upcoming T20 fest.
“We already know that IPL is an integral part of Indian cricket and If I would want to mark myself at some position in T20, it would be No. 3, and that’s what I’m focusing at. I wouldn’t say that we are planning and thinking about what number I will be batting. This time I’m quite clear about that position. And I’m going to be focusing on that number. As long as the coach approves of me.”
In the IPL 2024, Punjab Kings won only one out of their seven home games finishing second to last in the table. Now, with the coaching and captaincy duo of Ricky Ponting and Shreyas Iyer, PBKS is hopeful for the same success that this pair achieved with the Delhi Capitals.
