Shreyas Iyer Becomes IPL History Maker with Three Teams Reach Playoffs

Shreyas Iyer is the first IPL captain in history to captain three different teams—Delhi Capitals, Kolkata Knight Riders, and Punjab Kings—to the playoffs. His captaincy career reached a crescendo with Punjab Kings qualifying for the IPL 2025 playoffs after beating Rajasthan Royals.

Shreyas Iyer Becomes IPL History Maker with Three Teams Reach Playoffs

Shreyas Iyer has once again demonstrated his excellent leadership in the Indian Premier League by leading Punjab Kings to the playoffs after 11 years. It is unique as it made him the first skipper to lead three different teams into the IPL playoffs. Before Punjab Kings, Iyer had already led Delhi Capitals and Kolkata Knight Riders to the latter stages of the tournament. His success last season with Kolkata Knight Riders, when they were champions of the IPL, was no accident. Everyone was praising Iyer's captaincy role by being overtly very supportive even if people were complimenting the team's support staff. Now by leading Punjab Kings to the playoffs, he has proved that his leadership is persistent and solid.

In their previous game against Rajasthan Royals, Punjab Kings scored a good 219 runs for five wickets. However, the match became very tough in the early stage since Rajasthan Royals openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and Vaibhav Suryavanshi scored 76 runs in around four overs.
This put too much pressure on Punjab Kings. But Harpreet Brar achieved a significant breakthrough by taking the wickets of both the openers, and Punjab returned to the game. Shreyas Iyer appreciated the good temperament and consistent performance of Brar in practice and the match as well. Iyer told that the team played good heart and did not lose hope even when the situation was tough. Iyer also said he injured his finger while practicing but was unaware of the severity of the injury.

Despite the injury, he was focused on the game and directed his team with determination.
Rajasthan Royals captain Sanju Samson, though, was saddened that his team could not carry forward the momentum after powerplay. He also admitted that the target did seem simple with their strong batting lineup but they could not finish the chase. Samson further mentioned that his team is giving their best and trying out possibilities and also keeping future tournaments in mind. Punjab Kings bowler Marco Jansen was also among the key players in helping their team win.

He said the ball was difficult to play with but the team did not panic and altered the mood of rivals.
Jansen explained how their plan was to play some good overs in order to check the run rate and they managed to play through the game fine. All this unity and smart thinking contributed to the cause of Punjab Kings and kept them through to the playoffs. Shreyas Iyer's achievement of taking three different sides to the IPL playoffs talks about his ability to deliver any side to its optimal level.

His calmness during pressure and smart play on the field denote why he is among the finest young captains in the league.
Having taken Kolkata Knight Riders to an IPL championship a year ago, he has now brought Punjab Kings back to the top after waiting for 11 long years. This milestone is a testament to Iyer's leadership skills and his dominant presence in Indian cricket. Briefly, Shreyas Iyer made IPL history as the first captain to lead three teams to playoffs.

Under his leadership, Punjab Kings encountered Rajasthan Royals's ordeal in an electrifying match. The team was given resilience by the collaborative efforts of players like Harpreet Brar and Marco Jansen. Iyer's injury did not deter him from taking Punjab Kings to a vital win and playoff berth. This story of determination and brilliance makes Shreyas Iyer a shining star in IPL history and an idol for numerous young cricketers.