Punjab Kings have revamped their team and appointed Shreyas Iyer as captain, aiming for their first-ever Indian Premier League title in eighteen long years. One of their retained players, Prabhsimran Singh has stated that is hopeful of Iyer’s leadership bringing luck and success to the team in the latest season.
Iyer is the only successful captain for Punjab Kings with 56.09% winning percentage. He is now the most experienced captain amongst currently active captains in the IPL, having acted as skipper in 71 matches in total.
Delhi Capitals as on IPL 2019 did not play a single playoff in the last 8 years prior to that. It was Shreyas’ 1st season as a full-time captain, and he took the team to the playoffs.
Similarly, Kolkata Knight Riders until 2024 did not claim a victory in their name after 2014, almost over a decade. Shreyas after missing the 2023 season made a comeback as a skipper and took the team to clinch their third titular trophy as a franchise and 1st of the decade.
Now that he has been appointed as the most recent captain of the Punjab Kings team, making him the second most expensive player of the mega auction, looks like the stars may shine on this team too. Though Punjab hasn’t played a single playoff after their 2014 finale encounter with KKR, Shreyas does seem confident and well prepared to make this dry team taste some sweet success.
“The team looks strong, with a great mix of potential and proven performers. I hope to repay the faith shown by the management to deliver our maiden title.” Iyer was quoted as saying in a release.
Presently, he is the only captain in IPL history to take two different teams in the finals and if he manages to take PBKS across the finish line, then undoubtedly, he may be hailed as IPL’s all-time greatest captain.
The team’s head coach Ricky Ponting stated post his appointment as a captain, “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”.
Midway through the IPL 2018 edition, Delhi Capitals had appointed Iyer as their captain and made it to the playoffs in each of the next three seasons, including runners-up finish in 2020. He also led Mumbai in the Syed Mushtaq Ali tournament and bagged the trophy this season.
My Perspective:
Punjab Kings so far have experienced a rollercoaster journey since the inception of the IPL in 2008. Despite having a star-studded and formidable team over the years, consistency has been the biggest challenge.
However, this year things definitely look interesting and bright. Earlier known as the Kings XI Punjab, they have only made it to one playoff in the entire seventeen-year journey so far.
With bold purchases in the mega auction last year, the Preity Zinta co-owned franchise went all out and picked up marquee players such as Marcus Stoinis, Marco Jansen, Glenn Maxwell, Lockie Ferguson, Yuzvendra Chahal and of course the captain Shreyas Iyer.
Iyer’s pivotal role in leading KKR to their third title has been an example of his determined approach and optimistic captaincy style.
He is riding high on confidence, coming out as the 2nd highest run scorer of the ICC Champions Trophy tournament, but his efforts went unnoticed. This performance will surely serve as a motivating factor to perform exceedingly both as a batsman and a captain in order for Punjab Kings to lay their hands on the coveted title.
With the season set to begin from March 22, only time will ascertain if Shreyas can spin his magic and go on to create an unmatchable legacy and crown PBKS as he ultimate champions this year.
By: Tulika Agarwal
The post Can Shreyas Iyer Help Punjab Kings to Win Maiden IPL Title? appeared first on Sportzcraazy.
from Cricket News & Updates | Today Cricket Rankings | Latest Match Schedule https://ift.tt/Rf6mlSn
via IFTTT
0 Comments