Sourav Ganguly lavished praise on Shreyas Iyer following the latter’s scintillating knock in PBKS’ opening match of IPL 2025 against GT.
Shreyas Iyer has stamped his authority with a breathtaking display of power-hitting in Punjab Kings’ opening match in IPL 2025. His powerful knock of an unbeaten 97 off just 42 deliveries was key to of Punjab Kings’ thrilling 11-run victory over Gujarat Titans (GT) at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
Shreyas Iyer plays a shot during the Indian Premier League (IPL) Twenty20 cricket match between Gujarat Titans and Punjab Kings(AFP)
The innings, studded with five boundaries and nine towering sixes, saw Iyer lift his team to a formidable 243/6 before PBKS successfully defended the total, restricting GT to 232/5.
Iyer’s explosive knock didn’t go unnoticed, with former India captain and ex-BCCI president Sourav Ganguly showering praise on the 30-year-old. Taking to social media, Ganguly hailed Iyer as the ‘most improved batsman’ over the past year, emphasizing his evolution into a player fit for all three formats of international cricket.
“Shreyas Iyer the most improved batsman in last 1 yr .. ready for all formats. Great to see his improvement after a few issues on length,” Ganguly posted on X.
Iyer’s rough 2024
Despite being a mainstay in India’s ODI setup, Iyer’s position in Tests and T20Is has remained inconsistent. He was controversially dropped from the Test team in early 2024 but made a strong domestic comeback in the Ranji Trophy. He played a key role in the knock-out stages of the domestic tournament to steer Mumbai to the Ranji title in the 2023/24 season and further improved his credentials by leading Kolkata Knight Riders to their third IPL title in the same year.
Earlier this year, Iyer showcased brilliant form in the fifty-over format to help guide India to the Champions Trophy title.
Performances like the one against GT on Tuesday night could be his ticket to reclaiming a permanent spot across formats.
Reflecting on his sensational innings, Iyer was visibly elated. “Ecstatic, to be honest. Getting 97* in the first match is always the icing on the cake. No better feeling to be honest. It was important for me to go ahead and adapt. I got four off the first ball, and that gave an immense boost,” he said in the post-match presentation.
With momentum on his side, Iyer will now turn his attention to Punjab Kings’ next challenge – a showdown against Rishabh Pant’s Lucknow Super Giants on April 1 in Lucknow.
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