IPL 2026: Shreyas Iyer Sends Title Warning—PBKS Captain ‘Eyes’ Maiden Trophy After Final Heartbreak

Punjab Kings’ captain, Shreyas Iyer, and left-arm pacer, Arshdeep Singh, talked about their aspirations before the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League. With the Punjab Kings having never won the Indian Premier League, the skipper talked about how the aim for the season is to win the trophy.

Speaking at their jersey launch event in Mohali, the two Indian players talked about the bonding within the team, overcoming challenges, and the connection they share with the franchise. 

Shreyas Iyer talks about team bonding

With an IPL season being two months long, bonding within the team is pretty crucial. Being the skipper of the franchise, Iyer acknowledged the importance of team bonding. “This is the period where we live as a family for two months. The more time we spend together, the more we get to know each other. Now is the time where we build that camaraderie. We spend most of our time in the game room, playing FIFA and other games. The planning and plotting for matches usually happens a day or two before the game, but building this bond off the field helps us get better results eventually,” Shreyas said.

Shreyas Iyer returns after injury

Shreyas Iyer had been sidelined after suffering a horrific injury during India’s tour to Australia. Iyer scored 60 runs in three ODIs against New Zealand in January this year. The PBKS skipper talked about his journey to come back to professional cricket after his injury. He said, “It is always challenging to come back after an injury. I had lost around seven kilos and it took a lot of effort to gain that weight back. But I love challenges. I am glad I overcame that part of my life, and I am back here proudly representing the team.”

The love from PBKS fans

The Punjab Kings fans have embraced Shreyas Iyer as their skipper and showered a lot of love. The fans fondly called him Sarpanch Saab in the previous season. While talking about the admiration he received from the fans, Iyer said, “Expectations are high, which is fun. I love the challenge. But the important thing is that whenever we step in, we have to win. My eye is on the trophy.”

Punjab Kings in IPL 2025

Under Shreyas Iyer’s leadership, Punjab Kings reached the final of the Indian Premier League for the second time in their history. Iyer became the first captain to lead three different franchises after leading Delhi Capitals to the final and winning the title with Kolkata Knight Riders in 2024. 

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