Shreyas Iyer seems to have unlocked a new gear ever since joining Punjab Kings, and after falling short at the final hurdle in the TATA IPL 2025, the skipper is determined to go one better this season. Speaking on JioStar’s ‘Believe’, Iyer shared his thoughts on receiving the ‘Sarpanch’ title, narrowly missing his maiden TATA IPL century, and defending a low total of 111 in that iconic match against KKR.
Speaking on JioStar’s ‘Believe’, PBKS Captain Shreyas Iyer opened up on how the title of ‘Sarpanch’ has sat with him since joining the franchise:
“I love it. I was clueless at the start of my journey with Punjab Kings about how the ‘Sarpanch’ tag came up and what it meant. But later, when I asked a couple of my teammates, they explained that ‘Sarpanch’ means the head of a family, a group, or even a district. That gave me clarity, and from there onwards, my journey started.”
On the mission for TATA IPL 2026:
“The mission, obviously, is to lift the trophy. But I always feel that the more you stay in the present, the more you stay in control of what is in your hands at that moment and you just have to go full throttle. You don’t have to think too far ahead or dwell on the past. I reiterate the same point to my teammates as well, that when we are out there, we are playing for ourselves, not against the opponents. We just want to improve each day and make sure we put our best foot forward. When everything comes together and that synergy builds, everything falls into place.”
On missing his century in his debut game for PBKS against GT in TATA IPL 2025:
“Honestly, at that moment, I told Shashank not to overthink because there were 10 balls left. I thought I would get at least one ball out of those 10. So, I told him, ‘You can play freely, don’t think too much.’ In the last over as well, I gave him that belief, that it’s okay to take it on and not worry about my hundred. In the back of my mind, I felt I would get at least one ball somehow. But then he played the entire over, and I was happy that we got 240 on the board. To get that score in the first match of the season sets the rhythm.”
On Arshdeep Singh’s advice to bring Vijaykumar Vyshak as an impact player in that game:
“When you are on the ground, every individual is involved in the game, and everyone’s inputs matter in that situation. When bowlers come and say they can execute a certain plan, it’s important to back them because their instincts can be strong as well. At the same time, there are situations when they run out of ideas and ask what they should do, and that’s when I step in and provide input. It goes hand in hand, it’s not like I always dictate terms. Even in team meetings, players come up with solid points, and you have to value what they bring. We had discussed bowling wide yorkers to Rutherford because wherever else we pitched, he was going bonkers. The plan worked, and Vyshak ended up being the hero in that game.”
On that KKR match in TATA IPL 2025 and defending 111 when they were 62/2 in the run-chase:
“As soon as we got two wickets, they stitched together a solid partnership. I wanted them to feel a bit of pressure, so with close-in fielders, I tried to make them feel like we were right in their face. The idea was to push them into doing something extra or playing a shot that wasn’t necessary, and that worked well. I made the field more attacking when a new batter came in, and they tried to play improvisational shots, like Ramandeep playing the sweep earlier. Credit goes to the bowlers as well, they were very consistent with their lines and lengths and had an attacking mindset. I keep telling them in every game that it’s not over until the last ball is bowled or the last run is scored. You never give up, you fight till the end. We’ve seen so many matches where consistent wickets create pressure on the opposition.”
Watch Believe ft. Shreyas Iyer, LIVE and Exclusive on JioHotstar and Star Sports Network today, 18 April, after the SRH Vs CSK TATA IPL match
