The tale of Shreyas Iyer and Royal Challengers Bengaluru in IPL 2025 feels strikingly parallel—both are struggling to make their presence felt in this season. While RCB have now endured three consecutive defeats at home, Iyer continues to search for form, especially at Punjab Kings’ new home base in New Chandigarh.
In match 37 of the tournament, the Punjab Kings locked horns with Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur. RCB won the toss and opted to bowl first under the afternoon sun, banking on the conditions to favour their bowling unit.
For PBKS, early wickets again spelt trouble, and much of the responsibility fell on their skipper, Shreyas Iyer. However, his lean patch on home turf continued. In the eighth over, Romario Shepherd delivered a fuller ball on off-stump, which Iyer tried to loft straight down the ground. Unfortunately, the shot caught the outer half of the bat and ballooned towards long-on.
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Krunal Pandya, positioned at long-on, showcased sharp reflexes and covered good ground to his left before completing a stunning running catch. Iyer departed after scoring just 6 runs off 10 deliveries, his only scoring shot being a boundary. Romario Shepherd roared in celebration, and Virat Kohli joined in with animated gestures, clearly enjoying the moment.
Safe to say it’s been Krunal Pandya’s day so far ☀️
Rate this superb catch by the #RCB all-rounder 🔢
Updates ▶ https://t.co/6htVhCbltp#TATAIPL | #PBKSvRCB | @krunalpandya24 pic.twitter.com/CSaAgOACvr
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 20, 2025
At the toss, RCB’s Rajat Patidar explained their decision to bowl first, saying, “The wicket looks decent and shouldn’t change much. Batting second gives us a clearer idea of conditions. We’re not thinking about venues, just focusing on good cricket. Shepherd comes in for Livingstone.”
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Shreyas Iyer, meanwhile, acknowledged the challenges of the day game and emphasized adapting to the situation: “We also wanted to bowl, but it’s important to read the conditions and give ourselves time. The support last game at this venue was fantastic. We’re playing with the same team.”
