Sunil Gavaskar didn’t hold back when it came to applauding Shreyas Iyer’s stellar leadership in IPL 2025—and in the process, he seemingly took a subtle dig at current India head coach Gautam Gambhir. Iyer, who captained Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to an IPL title last season in 2024, has now made history by leading three different franchises into the IPL playoffs.
This year, it’s with Punjab Kings (PBKS), following previous playoff appearances with Delhi Capitals (DC) and KKR. While speaking on Star Sports, Sunil Gavaskar praised Iyer’s captaincy acumen and pointed out how he had been unfairly overshadowed last year, as credit for KKR’s triumph went elsewhere, most notably to Gambhir, who was a mentor.
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“He didn’t get the credit for the IPL victory last season. 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,” Sunil Gavaskar remarked.
Gavaskar’s statement indirectly referenced how Gambhir was widely hailed as the mastermind behind KKR’s title win, while Iyer’s contributions as the on-field leader were largely overlooked.
At PBKS, Iyer has struck a strong partnership with head coach Ricky Ponting. The two had earlier worked together at DC, taking the team to its first-ever final in 2020. Recognising Iyer’s leadership potential, Ponting was instrumental in bringing him to Punjab for a staggering ₹26.75 crore during the 2025 IPL mega auction.
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Iyer hasn’t just led from the front tactically—he’s delivered with the bat too. In 12 matches this season, he has scored 435 runs at a blistering strike rate of 174.70, including a highest of 87*, playing a key role in PBKS’s first playoff qualification in over a decade.
