NEW DELHI: Indian Premier League franchise Punjab Kings on Sunday named Shreyas Iyer as their new captain for the 2025 season, which begins in March.
The announcement of Iyer becoming PBKS captain was made by Bollywood superstar Salman Khan on the reality show ‘Bigg Boss’.
Iyer was on the show along with teammates Shashank Singh and Yuzvendra Chahal.

The 30-year-old, who last year led Kolkata Knight Riders to title triumph, expressed appreciation to Punjab Kings management and committed to justifying their confidence in him.

“I am honoured that the team has reposed its faith in me. I am looking forward to working again with Coach Ponting. The team looks strong, with a great mix of potential and proven performers. I hope to repay the faith shown by the management to deliver our maiden title,” Iyer said.
The franchise’s new head coach Ricky Ponting praised Iyer’s strategic thinking and leadership skills.
“Shreyas has a great mind for the game. His proven capabilities as captain will enable the team to deliver. I have enjoyed my time with Iyer in the past in IPL, and I look forward to working with him again. With his leadership and the talent in the squad, I am excited about the seasons ahead.”
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Punjab Kings CEO Satish Menon confirmed their targeted acquisition of Iyer as captain. He highlighted Iyer’s understanding of the game and alignment with the team’s objectives.
“We had identified Shreyas as our captain and were delighted with the auction result. He has already proven himself to master the format, and his vision for the team aligns perfectly with our goals. With him and Ponting joining hands again, we are confident our team has a solid leadership group to guide us to our first title.”
Iyer had a remarkable 2024 season where he contributed to Mumbai’s Ranji and Irani Trophy victories. He also led KKR to their IPL 2024 triumph. Additionally, he captained Mumbai to their second Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy win.
Iyer’s appointment as Punjab Kings captain was widely anticipated following his acquisition for Rs 26.75 crore in the November IPL Mega Auction.
Punjab Kings entered the auction retaining only Shashank Singh and Prabhsimran Singh. They had a maximum purse of Rs 110.5 crore and aimed to rebuild under new coach Ricky Ponting. They used their Right-to-Match (RTM) card to secure Arshdeep Singh for Rs 18 crore, outbidding Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Punjab Kings made a significant investment in acquiring Iyer for Rs 26.75 crore. This was the second highest bid in the auction, surpassed only by Rishabh Pant’s Rs 27 crore acquisition by Lucknow Super Giants.
Punjab Kings squad: Shreyas Iyer (c), Shashank Singh, Prabhsimran Singh, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal, Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell, Nehal Wadhera, Harpreet Brar, Vishnu Vinod, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Yash Thakur, Marco Jansen, Josh Inglis, Lockie Ferguson, Azmatullah Omarzai, Harnoor Pannu, Kuldeep Sen, Priyansh Arya, Aaron Hardie, Musheer Khan, Suryansh Shedge, Xavier Bartlett, Pyla Avinash, Pravin Dubey.