Shreyas Iyer etched his name in the history books last year when he became the eighth ever captain to lift an IPL trophy, and the first to do so for Kolkata Knight Riders in 10 years. However, after KKR chose not to retain Iyer for IPL 2025, the 30-year-old batter had a point to prove, and he has done so in style at this year’s IPL.

Iyer-led Punjab Kings have enjoyed a successful IPL campaign this year, clinching their eighth win on Sunday and securing a place in the playoffs later in the day. This is the first time PBKS have qualified for the play-offs in 11 years, but what makes this milestone even more special is the record Iyer has set.

Notably, Iyer has become the first captain ever to lead three different franchises in IPL playoffs. Prior to his stint with KKR, he had led Delhi Capitals to the playoffs in 2019 and 2020, including their only IPL final appearance in 2020.

Iyer enjoyed a fruitful partnership with coach Ricky Ponting at the Delhi Capitals, and it has continued to bear fruit for the Kings in IPL 2025. Earlier this year, the right-handed batter became the second-highest paid player in IPL history when he was purchased for ₹26.75 crore at the mega auctions in Jeddah.

Shreyas Iyer’s IPL 2025 campaign: 

Apart from his captaincy heroics, Iyer has also been leading the side from the front and is the second-highest run scorer for his team. In this season of the IPL, Iyer has scored 435 runs in 12 matches at an average of 48.33 and a strike rate of 174.69. The highest score for Iyer this year came during Punjab Kings’ first match as he smashed a 97-run knock against Gujarat Titans to help his side post a total of 243/5 in the 20 overs that eventually saw them win the match by 11 runs.