IPL 2025: Shreyas Iyer 2.0 바카라“ Aggressive, Consistent And The Best Version of Himself

Shreyas Iyer is back with a bang in IPL 2025. After an indifferent 2024 season where he scored just 351 runs with barely any high-impact performances, the new Punjab Kings바카라™ skipper has made a big statement early in the tournament this year. (KKR vs SRH Blog | Points Table | Full Coverage)

He blasted a sensational unbeaten 97 against Gujarat Titans before registering another fluent half-century in a successful chase against Lucknow Super Giants.

Shreyas has witnessed a dramatic change in his fortunes since making a comeback to the Indian team for the ODI series against England in February. He has scored consistently and at a fair clip and is now the in white-ball cricket.

The Turmoil

Shreyas, the batter, did not have a great 2024. He was snubbed by the BCCI for missing a domestic match and not considered for the home Test series against England. He played just three ODIs in the calendar yeara scoring a total of 38 runs.

He was also not a part of India바카라™s victorious T20 World Cup contingent in the Caribbean. Shreyas Iyer was out of favour and the route back seemed long and arduous.

The Turnaround

Shreyas failed in half the number of innings he represented Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2024. But, where Shreyas the batter fell short, Shreyas the leader stepped in.

Captaining the franchise, Shreyas led KKR to their third IPL title and their first since 2014! Under his leadership, the team unleashed a new aggressive and destructive brand of cricket which set a new benchmark not only in the history of the coveted league but for T20 cricket itself!

That elevated his brand value and in the IPL 2025 Auctions in Jeddah in November, Punjab Kings, in desperate need for an overhaul and an inspiring leader, paid a whopping INR 26.75 crore for Shreyas, making him the second-most expensive player in IPL history!

Shreyas바카라™ portfolio as a leader was enhanced when he led Mumbai to the 2024 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy title where they beat Madhya Pradesh in the final in Bengaluru.

He regained some of his hitting prowess and scored 345 runs in eight innings at a strike rate of 188.5 바카라“ the second-highest scoring rate amongst all batters who registered a minimum of 300 runs in the competition.

The transformation

Shreyas was recalled to the Indian team for the ODI series against England in February this year and he did not disappoint. Shreyas was the second-highest run-getter with an aggregate of 181 runs at a strike rate of 123, including two fifties.

As significant as the runs he scored was the rate at which he scored them and the timing of his performances. Shreyas walked out to bat at 19/2 in the series opener in Nagpur and counter-attacked with 59 off just 36 deliveries, laying the foundation for India바카라™s chase. He then blasted 78 off 64 deliveries in the third ODI in Ahmedabad putting together a century stand with Shubman Gill.

Shreyas 2.0 was born.

Shreyas continued in his rich vein of form and returned as India바카라™s highest run-getter in their victorious campaign at the 2025 Champions Trophy in UAE/Pakistan. He aggregated 243 runs in five innings including two fifties and two forties.

His best knock came against New Zealand when he walked out to bat with his team reeling at 22/2 (which soon worsened to 30/3) and scored a fluent 79 off 98 deliveries, top-scoring for India as they stitched together a competitive 249 on a spinner-friendly Dubai wicket.

Shreyas chipped in with a couple of forties at critical junctures both in the semi-final against Australia and final against New Zealand.

Shreyas바카라™ ability to soak in pressure and still score significantly at a fast pace even as others in the team struggled, stood out since his return in the England series.

While he was always a fine player of spin, Shreyas바카라™ batting against pace showed a dramatic improvement in these eight matches. He hammered 186 runs off just 141 deliveries at a rate of 132 against the faster bowlers.

Great start to IPL 2025

Punjab Kings has been one of the worst-performing franchises in IPL history. They have not made to the playoffs in the last 10 seasons (since 2014). However, with Shreyas at the helm, 2025 might just be a revolutionary year for the franchise.

They got off to a fantastic start smashing 243/5 against Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad and it was their new skipper, Shreyas, who led the way with a sensational undefeated 97 off just 42 deliveries 바카라“ the highlight of his knock being the nine towering sixes.

The captain showed the way in the 172-run chase against Lucknow Super Giants in Lucknow, hammering an unbeaten 52 off just 30 deliveries. LSG gunned down the target in the 17th over with eight wickets in hand.

One of the striking features of Shreyas바카라™ batting during these two matches has been his control of the pull shot. He has scored 36 runs off just 13 deliveries playing the pull without being dismissed. Once his weakness across all formats, Shreyas seems to have put in the hard yards and it is paying rich dividends.

Shreyas바카라™ cool and calm temperament as a batter and as a leader on the field has stood out in the first couple of wins for his franchise in this edition. It will indeed be a remarkable story if he can inspire Punjab Kings to the playoffs this season.