NEW DELHI: Shreyas Iyer achieved a rare captaincy milestone on Sunday as Punjab Kings secured a spot in the IPL 2025 playoffs. With this feat, Shreyas became the first player in the tournament’s 18-year history to lead three different franchises to the playoffs — having previously done so with Delhi Capitals and Kolkata Knight Riders. His leadership also ended Punjab’s 11-year wait to reach the playoffs.As Punjab Kings continued to impress under his captaincy, former India legend Sunil Gavaskar voiced his opinion on Shreyas’s role in KKR’s title win last season, suggesting he deserved more acknowledgment.“He (Shreyas Iyer) didn’t get the credit for the IPL victory last season,” Gavaskar said on Star Sports.“All the plaudits were given to someone else. It’s the captain who plays a major role in what’s happening in the middle and not someone sitting in the dugout. See, this year he’s getting fair credit. No one is giving all the credit to Ricky Ponting,” Gavaskar added.After a gritty win over Rajasthan Royals, Shreyas addressed his team in the dressing room, praising the squad’s unity and support system throughout the campaign.“Guys, we all know how difficult it is not to get an opportunity. And we clearly mentioned at the start how tough it was going to be out there with the heat. The guys who sat outside and didn’t get to play still went out and helped everyone. This shows their hunger for the team. Ricky mentioned caring, and today I saw that caring for each and every one,” said the skipper.Shreyas also congratulated the team for making it to the playoffs and emphasized the importance of maintaining their momentum.“Congratulations, and a special mention to each and every individual sitting here. I appreciate your efforts. Please ensure that we carry forward the same momentum and intensity into the future games as well,” he said.Punjab Kings will take on Delhi Capitals next on May 24 at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur.
