Home / Sports / Iyer's Unlikely Journey: From KKR Title to PBKS Runner-Up
Iyer's Unlikely Journey: From KKR Title to PBKS Runner-Up
29 Mar
Summary
- Shreyas Iyer guided KKR to their third title in the 2024 season.
- He led Punjab Kings to the final in 2025, scoring 604 runs.
- Arora is improving his bowling with guidance from Tim Southee.
Shreyas Iyer's captaincy journey has seen significant highs and surprising turns. In the 2024 Indian Premier League season, he led the Kolkata Knight Riders to their third championship title, with the team losing only three matches. Despite this success, Iyer was released by the franchise prior to the subsequent season.
Arora, a fast bowler for KKR, recently commented on Iyer's performance, noting that while Iyer received credit for the 2024 win, he was "slightly underrated" that season. The media spotlight during KKR's 2024 campaign often focused on mentor Gautam Gambhir and standout players like Sunil Narine and Mitchell Starc.
Following his release from KKR, Iyer was acquired by Punjab Kings for ₹26.75 crore, becoming one of the most expensive players in IPL history. He demonstrated his value by leading Punjab Kings to the 2025 final, where they finished as runners-up. During this successful campaign, Iyer amassed 604 runs in 17 innings at an average of 50.33.
Meanwhile, KKR pacer Vaibhav Arora is actively working on his bowling. The 28-year-old is drawing inspiration and technical advice from New Zealand's Tim Southee, who has joined the Kolkata Knight Riders as their bowling coach for the upcoming IPL 2026 season. Arora played a crucial role in KKR's 2024 title win, taking 11 wickets.
