After years of inconsistency and underwhelming campaigns, Punjab Kings have finally rediscovered their competitive edge under Shreyas Iyer’s leadership. Iyer guided the franchise to the final last season after a long drought, which was no small feat; even if the trophy slipped away in a heartbreaking loss to the Royal Challengers Bengaluru, the side showed their resolve by being competitive.
Heading into this season, the journey for Shreyas Iyer has been far from smooth. The past year tested him physically and mentally due to a prolonged spleen injury sustained during an ODI against Australia, which kept him away from the game for a significant period. Speaking on his injury, Iyer revealed that he had lost 7 kg due to the injury.
"It is always challenging to come back after an injury. I had lost around 7 kg after my injury. It was a severe one. Thankfully, I was back in great shape after two months. I had to go through a few tests, which I passed. It took a lot of effort for me to gain those 7 kg back. As I mentioned earlier. I love challenges, and that was one challenge that I had to overcome. I am glad I overcame that phase of my life, and I am back sitting over here," Iyer said while speaking to the media.
Last year, despite a stellar campaign, the final against Royal Challengers Bengaluru proved to be incredibly challenging for PBKS. However, Iyer’s batting contributions were equally crucial. Anchoring innings when needed and accelerating under pressure, he led from the front in both strategy and performance.
He had an impressive campaign, amassing 604 runs at an average of 50.33 and a strike rate of 175.07. Meanwhile, Punjab will kick off their IPL 2026 campaign with a home game against Gujarat Titans in New Chandigarh on March 31.