Last year, Iyer became the eighth captain to win the coveted IPL title as he led the Kolkata Knight Riders to their third championship, beating SunRisers Hyderabad. Despite three seasons with the franchise, Iyer was relased by KKR, following which he became the second-most IPL auction signing ever when Punjab snapped him up for Rs 26.75 crore in the auctions.

Punjab will be Iyer’s third franchise in the IPL and a third stint in a leadership role. After having started out in the IPL in 2015 with the Delhi Capitals, Iyer was raised to captaincy in the 2018 season. He also led the Capitals to their first IPL final in the 2020 season.

Despite losing out on spots in the T20I and Test teams in 2024, Iyer had a banner year. He was part of the Mumbai team that won the Ranji and Irani trophy and under his leadership, Mumbai won their second Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in December 2024. Iyer plundered 345 runs in the tournament with a 188.42 strike rate and a near-50 average while smashing a century.

Iyer will form a reunion with his former DC head coach, Ricky Ponting, with PBKS. “Shreyas has a great mind for the game. His proven capabilities as captain will enable the team to deliver. I have enjoyed my time with Iyer in the past in IPL, and I look forward to working with him again. With his leadership and the talent in the squad, I am excited about the seasons ahead,” said Ponting.