Shreyas IyerThe Punjab Kings (PBKS) captain has set his sights on going one step further in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 after finishing as runners-up last year. The India ODI vice-captain, who led PBKS to only their second final and third playoff appearance, said he is embracing both the challenge and expectations attached to the team.
Iyer also opened up about a difficult phase in his career, revealing that he had lost seven kilograms after suffering a ruptured spleen during India's tour of Australia last October. Following surgery and a recovery period of over two months, he returned for Mumbai in the Vijay Hazare Trophy before featuring in the ODI series against the New Zealand national cricket team in January.
“Expectations are very high, which is fun. I love the challenge. But the important thing is that whenever we step up, we have to win. I have my eyes on the trophy,” Shreyas was quoted as saying by Cricbuzz at the team's official jersey launch event.
He said, “It is always challenging to make a comeback after injury. I had lost about seven kilos and it took a lot of effort to get that weight back. But I like challenges. I am happy that I overcame that part of my life and I am here representing the team with pride.”
PBKS lost by six runs against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the IPL 2025 final in Ahmedabad. Iyer enjoyed an extraordinary campaign, scoring 604 runs at an average of 50.33 and a strike rate of 175.07. His unbeaten 87 against Mumbai Indians (MI) in Qualifier 2 was a highlight. PBKS will begin their IPL 2026 campaign with a home match against Gujarat Titans (GT) on March 31 in New Chandigarh.
Arshdeep Singh reiterated his captain's confidence while stressing the importance of strong home support in Mullanpur for PBKS. Reflecting on his journey, the left-arm pacer credited the franchise's management for showing faith in him early in his career, which played a vital role in his development as a regular member of the India team.
“When you feel pressure, it's a privilege. It's great fun when you get so much support from the crowd. When people are cheering for you, you feel like there are 30,000 people marching with you. We will try our best to win all our home matches this year,” Arshdeep was quoted as saying by the Economic Times.
He said, “The journey has been amazing. When I first came here, they gave me full support and showed me my potential. They trusted me a lot, whereas no other team trusted me. I really appreciate it and I want to stay here for a long time. I am looking forward to winning a lot of trophies for the team.”
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