Shreyas Iyer made IPL history by becoming the first captain to guide three different franchises to the playoffs after PBKS secured qualification on Sunday.
Shreyas Iyer Makes IPL History by Leading Three Different Teams to Playoffs
On Sunday evening, Shreyas Iyer carved his name in IPL history as Punjab Kings’ victory and Delhi Capitals’ defeat against Gujarat Titans confirmed three of the four teams headed to the IPL 2025 playoffs. By guiding PBKS to their first playoff appearance in 11 years, Iyer became the first player ever to captain three different teams into the IPL playoffs—a remarkable milestone.
Iyer began his captaincy journey with Delhi Capitals, breaking their playoff drought in 2019 and leading them to the final in 2020. Later, he joined Kolkata Knight Riders and led them to their third IPL trophy, becoming the first player to captain two different teams to IPL finals.
Ponting-Iyer combo does the trick again
Shreyas Iyer has built a reputation as a captain who revitalizes struggling teams. When he took charge, Delhi Capitals hadn’t reached the playoffs in seven years, Kolkata Knight Riders had not won a trophy in a decade, and Punjab Kings hadn’t qualified for the playoffs since 2014. Punjab’s recent turnaround is also credited to the arrival of Ricky Ponting as coach—Ponting, who previously coached Iyer at DC, has rekindled their partnership, bringing positive results for the team.
Now, Punjab Kings aim to finish in the top two of the IPL 2025 standings. With 17 points, PBKS are in a strong position after their win against Rajasthan Royals in Jaipur, where Nehal Wadhera and Shashank Singh powered the middle order to a total of 219. Harpreet Brar’s impressive 3-22 helped keep RR at bay during the chase. Punjab is currently tied with Royal Challengers Bengaluru on points but sits third due to net run rate.
