NEW DELHI: Shreyas Iyer, who led Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to their IPL title victory in 2024, has been named captain of Punjab Kings (PBKS) ahead of the 2025 season, which begins in March. Iyer was signed by PBKS for a record-breaking Rs 26.75 crore during the November mega auction, making him the second-most expensive player in IPL history.
The appointment marks a reunion for Iyer with Punjab Kings’ head coach Ricky Ponting, under whose guidance he previously led Delhi Capitals to the IPL 2020 final. The franchise’s move to secure Iyer underscores their ambition to contend for the title in the upcoming season.
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With this announcement, six teams have confirmed their captains for IPL 2025, while four franchises, including reigning champions KKR, are yet to reveal their leadership plans. Royal Challengers Bangaluru (RCB), Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), and Delhi Capitals (DC) are also among those without an announced captain.
KKR is still searching for Iyer’s replacement. Ahead of the mega auction, RCB have released former skipper Faf du Plessis, who joined Delhi Capitals during the auction, fueling speculation about Virat Kohli returning as captain.
Lucknow Super Giants, having signed Rishabh Pant for a record Rs 27 crore, may hand him the leadership role after releasing KL Rahul, who also moved to Delhi Capitals.
As IPL 2025 preparations intensify, the remaining teams are expected to finalise their captaincy choices in the coming weeks.
Team | Captain | Previous season captain |
Chennai Super Kings | Ruturaj Gaikwad | Raturaj Gaikwad |
Gujarat Titans | Shubman Gill | Shubman Gill |
Mumbai Indians | Hardik Pandya | Hardik Pandya |
Punjab Kings | Shreyas Iyer | Shikhar Dhawan |
Rajasthan Royals | Sanju Samson | Sanju Samson |
Sunrisers Hyderabad | Pat Cummins | Pat Cummins |
Royal Challengers Bengaluru | NA | Faf du Plessis |
Kolkata Knight Riders | NA | Shreyas Iyer |
Lucknow Super Giants | NA | KL Rahul |
Delhi Capitals | NA | Rishabh Pant |
(NA – Not Announced)