पंजाब किंग्स को मिला एक और स्टार, 47 पर आधी टीम हो गई थी ढेर, फिर दिखाया अपना कमाल
यहां से मार्कस स्टोइनिस ने सूर्यांश शेडगे के साथ 44 गेंदों में 79 रन की…
यहां से मार्कस स्टोइनिस ने सूर्यांश शेडगे के साथ 44 गेंदों में 79 रन की…
ESPORTS
Shreyas Iyer named brand ambassador for F1 Program in India
Mumbai Falcons Racing Limited announced the appointment of cricketer Shreyas Iyer as the official brand ambassador for the F1 Program in India.
The programme will be held under an agreement that grants Mumbai Falcons the rights to host an official Formula 1-sanctioned sim racing competition. The F1 Sim Racing India Open 2026 is aimed at establishing a national competitive platform for emerging talent across the country.
The appointment reflects Mumbai Falcons’ approach to building sporting culture and infrastructure across disciplines.
Iyer has established himself as one of Indian cricket’s most consistent match-winners and a leader across formats.
“Sport has always been about finding your edge and staying disciplined enough to act on it. When I heard what Mumbai Falcons is building in terms of a real pathway that takes young Indians from where they are today to where they could go, I didn’t need much convincing. This is the kind of initiative I would have wanted access to growing up, and I’m proud to be part of what’s coming,” said Iyer, brand ambassador for the F1 Program in India led by Mumbai Falcons Racing Limited.
The championship will be contested on F1 25, the official game of the FIA Formula 1 World Championship, featuring the same circuits, competitive formats and team liveries as the global series.
Registrations will begin on April 30, 2026, through the MFRL App, available on Play Store and Apple App Store.
– Team Sportstar
FOOTBALL
Dream Sports Foundation partners with Premier League for Dream Sports Championship
Dream Sports Foundation, the sports development arm of Dream Sports, has announced a strategic partnership with the Premier League for the upcoming Dream Sports Championship, which will be held in Goa from May 3 to 14.
The collaboration builds on DSF’s role as the official youth development partner of the All India Football Federation and will be integrated into key national platforms, including the Under-16 AIFF Junior League and the Dream Sports Championship.
The Premier League will conduct coach-development workshops and masterclasses for participating coaches and support staff at the Dream Sports Championship and the AIFF Under-16 Junior League.
The sessions will focus on training methodology, match management, physical conditioning, psychology and leadership, while bringing global best practices to the Indian football academy ecosystem.
By working closely with coaches, academies and clubs across the country, DSF and the Premier League aim to support Indian football through workshops, mentorship and knowledge-exchange initiatives.
– Team Sportstar
GOLF
LIV Golf appoints independent board, targets new investors after loss of Saudi backing
LIV Golf moved quickly to establish a new direction on Thursday after confirmation that Saudi backing for the circuit is set to end, announcing a new board and a search for long-term financial partners.
Sources at Reuters said on Wednesday that Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund would cut funding, which has totalled more than $1 billion a year since 2022, at the end of the league’s 2026 season.
Without mentioning PIF, LIV on Thursday announced a “transition from a foundational launch phase to a diversified, multi-partner investment model” and a new independent board led by business consultants Gene Davis and Jon Zinman.
LIV upended golf in late 2021 when, armed with PIF’s backing, it enticed some of the sport’s biggest names to leave the long-established PGA Tour.
Major winners Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm, Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka and Patrick Reed were all recruited to play team golf around the world for millions of dollars in prize money.
The league will now need to convince its big-name players, who are on lucrative contracts, of its long-term viability without Saudi backing.
– Reuters
Published on Apr 30, 2026
ESPORTS
Shreyas Iyer named brand ambassador for F1 Program in India
Mumbai Falcons Racing Limited announced the appointment of cricketer Shreyas Iyer as the official brand ambassador for the F1 Program in India.
The programme will be held under an agreement that grants Mumbai Falcons the rights to host an official Formula 1-sanctioned sim racing competition. The F1 Sim Racing India Open 2026 is aimed at establishing a national competitive platform for emerging talent across the country.
The appointment reflects Mumbai Falcons’ approach to building sporting culture and infrastructure across disciplines.
Iyer has established himself as one of Indian cricket’s most consistent match-winners and a leader across formats.
“Sport has always been about finding your edge and staying disciplined enough to act on it. When I heard what Mumbai Falcons is building in terms of a real pathway that takes young Indians from where they are today to where they could go, I didn’t need much convincing. This is the kind of initiative I would have wanted access to growing up, and I’m proud to be part of what’s coming,” said Iyer, brand ambassador for the F1 Program in India led by Mumbai Falcons Racing Limited.
The championship will be contested on F1 25, the official game of the FIA Formula 1 World Championship, featuring the same circuits, competitive formats and team liveries as the global series.
Registrations will begin on April 30, 2026, through the MFRL App, available on Play Store and Apple App Store.
– Team Sportstar
FOOTBALL
Dream Sports Foundation partners with Premier League for Dream Sports Championship
Dream Sports Foundation, the sports development arm of Dream Sports, has announced a strategic partnership with the Premier League for the upcoming Dream Sports Championship, which will be held in Goa from May 3 to 14.
The collaboration builds on DSF’s role as the official youth development partner of the All India Football Federation and will be integrated into key national platforms, including the Under-16 AIFF Junior League and the Dream Sports Championship.
The Premier League will conduct coach-development workshops and masterclasses for participating coaches and support staff at the Dream Sports Championship and the AIFF Under-16 Junior League.
The sessions will focus on training methodology, match management, physical conditioning, psychology and leadership, while bringing global best practices to the Indian football academy ecosystem.
By working closely with coaches, academies and clubs across the country, DSF and the Premier League aim to support Indian football through workshops, mentorship and knowledge-exchange initiatives.
– Team Sportstar
GOLF
LIV Golf appoints independent board, targets new investors after loss of Saudi backing
LIV Golf moved quickly to establish a new direction on Thursday after confirmation that Saudi backing for the circuit is set to end, announcing a new board and a search for long-term financial partners.
Sources at Reuters said on Wednesday that Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund would cut funding, which has totalled more than $1 billion a year since 2022, at the end of the league’s 2026 season.
Without mentioning PIF, LIV on Thursday announced a “transition from a foundational launch phase to a diversified, multi-partner investment model” and a new independent board led by business consultants Gene Davis and Jon Zinman.
LIV upended golf in late 2021 when, armed with PIF’s backing, it enticed some of the sport’s biggest names to leave the long-established PGA Tour.
Major winners Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm, Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka and Patrick Reed were all recruited to play team golf around the world for millions of dollars in prize money.
The league will now need to convince its big-name players, who are on lucrative contracts, of its long-term viability without Saudi backing.
– Reuters
Published on Apr 30, 2026
ESPORTSShreyas Iyer named brand ambassador for F1 Program in IndiaMumbai Falcons Racing Limited announced the…
In an alternate universe, Shreyas Iyer and Ricky Ponting could have still been the men in charge at Delhi Capitals. Shreyas spent seven seasons at the franchise and led it to its first and only Indian Premier League (IPL) final in 2020. Ponting was head coach then and also lent his services for seven years.
In both cases, the exits didn’t appear entirely amicable. When a shoulder injury ruled Shreyas out of the first half of the 2021 season, Rishabh Pant became the stand-in skipper. The middle-order batter from Mumbai, however, wasn’t handed back the leadership reins once he regained fitness for the second half, and subsequently parted ways altogether.
READ | Marco Jansen on PBKS captain Shreyas Iyer: “Never feels like a dictatorship, everyone feels valued”
With Ponting, who was coach from 2018 to 2024, Capitals attributed the Australian’s lack of availability in India through the year as a sore point.
Cut to the present, DC can only cast a wistful sigh at those calls as Shreyas and Ponting return to the Arun Jaitley Stadium as captain and coach of a red-hot Punjab Kings for Saturday’s clash.
Since their reunion at PBKS in 2025, they have transformed a floundering unit into a formidable force, enabling it to exude the flair and aggression that characterises the duo. After a runner-up finish in 2025, Punjab has been just as dominant this season, notching up five wins in six matches (one no-result).
Capitals, to the contrary, are facing a familiar mid-table crisis. After two wins to begin the campaign, frailties have surfaced in recent matches. A case in point was their last match, where Axar Patel and Co. suffered a 47-run defeat to Sunrisers Hyderabad. While the bowlers conceded 242, the bigger concern is the batting unit, which is yet to click as a whole.
For Shreyas and Ponting, then, this is a chance to consolidate Punjab’s position, and remind DC of the reality that both these men have moved on to greener pastures.
Published on Apr 24, 2026
In an alternate universe, Shreyas Iyer and Ricky Ponting could have still been the men in charge at Delhi Capitals. Shreyas spent seven seasons at the franchise and led it to its first and only Indian Premier League (IPL) final in 2020. Ponting was head coach then and also lent his services for seven years.
In both cases, the exits didn’t appear entirely amicable. When a shoulder injury ruled Shreyas out of the first half of the 2021 season, Rishabh Pant became the stand-in skipper. The middle-order batter from Mumbai, however, wasn’t handed back the leadership reins once he regained fitness for the second half, and subsequently parted ways altogether.
READ | Marco Jansen on PBKS captain Shreyas Iyer: “Never feels like a dictatorship, everyone feels valued”
With Ponting, who was coach from 2018 to 2024, Capitals attributed the Australian’s lack of availability in India through the year as a sore point.
Cut to the present, DC can only cast a wistful sigh at those calls as Shreyas and Ponting return to the Arun Jaitley Stadium as captain and coach of a red-hot Punjab Kings for Saturday’s clash.
Since their reunion at PBKS in 2025, they have transformed a floundering unit into a formidable force, enabling it to exude the flair and aggression that characterises the duo. After a runner-up finish in 2025, Punjab has been just as dominant this season, notching up five wins in six matches (one no-result).
Capitals, to the contrary, are facing a familiar mid-table crisis. After two wins to begin the campaign, frailties have surfaced in recent matches. A case in point was their last match, where Axar Patel and Co. suffered a 47-run defeat to Sunrisers Hyderabad. While the bowlers conceded 242, the bigger concern is the batting unit, which is yet to click as a whole.
For Shreyas and Ponting, then, this is a chance to consolidate Punjab’s position, and remind DC of the reality that both these men have moved on to greener pastures.
Published on Apr 24, 2026
In an alternate universe, Shreyas Iyer and Ricky Ponting could have still been the men…
Shreyas Iyer’s selection for the Indian team has been a talking point in cricketing circles for a while now. Shreyas made headlines in 2024 after he was dropped from the BCCI’s Central Contract list due to non-compliance with the board’s directive to participate in domestic cricket while not on national duty.
Since then, he has played only 17 international games, all coming in the 50-over format. Despite guiding Kolkata Knight Riders to the IPL title in 2024 and Punjab Kings to the runner-up spot last season, the Mumbai batter has been overlooked in the shortest format of the game. Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar believes Shreyas got a “raw deal”.
“It was just unfair for Shreyas Iyer that his performances down the order didn’t get him in the Indian T20I team, because those are the difficult positions. If he has that angst for somebody for giving that kind of a deal, I think it’s valid,” Manjrekar said on Sportstar’s Insight Edge podcast.
“In the IPL, when his team [Punjab Kings] reached the final, he had a phenomenal IPL. He had the issue where the selectors felt that he was not committing himself enough to domestic cricket, focusing more on the other tournaments. That may have hurt him. When you look at him now and the success Punjab Kings have had, surely we can’t keep him out that long,” he added.
RELATED | ‘I was working on my yorker, swing,’ says MI pacer Ashwani after four-wicket haul
Shreyas had a blockbuster IPL 2025 season with the bat, scoring 604 runs at 50.33 average and a whopping strike rate of 175.07. This season, he has been striking at 182.46 and has already scored three half-centuries in six games. Taking his red-hot form in the IPL into account, Manjrekar believes there is still a spot for Shreyas in the Indian team, possibly even as a potential captaincy option.
“I think there could be a place for him at number four. He is somebody who can take singles on a slow, turning pitch and is a good player of spin. I think he’s done enough to merit a place in the T20 side, and in 50 overs as well,” the former Mumbai batter said.
“The [captaincy] option is always there. After Suryakumar Yadav, who do you give it to? There’s no obvious candidate. So that could be killing two birds with one stone. But, it’s all premature at this stage because he’s not even in the Indian team,” he added.
Published on Apr 21, 2026
Shreyas Iyer’s selection for the Indian team has been a talking point in cricketing circles for a while now. Shreyas made headlines in 2024 after he was dropped from the BCCI’s Central Contract list due to non-compliance with the board’s directive to participate in domestic cricket while not on national duty.
Since then, he has played only 17 international games, all coming in the 50-over format. Despite guiding Kolkata Knight Riders to the IPL title in 2024 and Punjab Kings to the runner-up spot last season, the Mumbai batter has been overlooked in the shortest format of the game. Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar believes Shreyas got a “raw deal”.
“It was just unfair for Shreyas Iyer that his performances down the order didn’t get him in the Indian T20I team, because those are the difficult positions. If he has that angst for somebody for giving that kind of a deal, I think it’s valid,” Manjrekar said on Sportstar’s Insight Edge podcast.
“In the IPL, when his team [Punjab Kings] reached the final, he had a phenomenal IPL. He had the issue where the selectors felt that he was not committing himself enough to domestic cricket, focusing more on the other tournaments. That may have hurt him. When you look at him now and the success Punjab Kings have had, surely we can’t keep him out that long,” he added.
RELATED | ‘I was working on my yorker, swing,’ says MI pacer Ashwani after four-wicket haul
Shreyas had a blockbuster IPL 2025 season with the bat, scoring 604 runs at 50.33 average and a whopping strike rate of 175.07. This season, he has been striking at 182.46 and has already scored three half-centuries in six games. Taking his red-hot form in the IPL into account, Manjrekar believes there is still a spot for Shreyas in the Indian team, possibly even as a potential captaincy option.
“I think there could be a place for him at number four. He is somebody who can take singles on a slow, turning pitch and is a good player of spin. I think he’s done enough to merit a place in the T20 side, and in 50 overs as well,” the former Mumbai batter said.
“The [captaincy] option is always there. After Suryakumar Yadav, who do you give it to? There’s no obvious candidate. So that could be killing two birds with one stone. But, it’s all premature at this stage because he’s not even in the Indian team,” he added.
Published on Apr 21, 2026
Shreyas Iyer’s selection for the Indian team has been a talking point in cricketing circles…
Punjab Kings fast bowling coach James Hopes, who has had a long association with Shreyas Iyer in the Indian Premier League, believes the key to the India batter’s recent success is his ability to identify his shortcomings.
“He is very aware of what his perceived weaknesses were over the years, and he comes into this season having nailed them. Once he finds his way back into the Indian team, you will see the batter he is going to be for the rest of his career. A world-class short-form batter and someone who could fit into long-form cricket pretty easily,” Hopes, who has also spent three years with Shreyas as a coach at Delhi Capitals, said.
The former Australian all-rounder also hailed his captaincy, under which PBKS reached the final last year.
“From a captaincy viewpoint, he has got a lot of experience. He was very young when he was captaining Delhi, and he is more experienced; he is very well planned, and he still follows his gut. When he is with the team, he is also one of the boys; he really endears himself to the group,” he said.
ALSO READ | IPL: Struggling Kolkata Knight Riders looks for foothold against high-flying Rajasthan Royals
Hopes also explained that the team management always trusted Arshdeep Singh, who repaid the faith with figures of three for 22 against the Mumbai Indians after going wicketless in his first three games.
“It is just about convincing him not to panic, that the world is not ending. He has bowled a certain way for the Indian team, which was required for the T20 World Cup. There were high scores, and there were very defensive-minded bowling approaches, which is what the situation demanded. He came into the IPL, and I think he didn’t start the way he would have wanted to, but there was no panic. At the moment, Arshdeep is our first-over bowler and our senior bowler, and he is a world-class T20 bowler,” Hopes said.
Published on Apr 18, 2026
Punjab Kings fast bowling coach James Hopes, who has had a long association with Shreyas Iyer in the Indian Premier League, believes the key to the India batter’s recent success is his ability to identify his shortcomings.
“He is very aware of what his perceived weaknesses were over the years, and he comes into this season having nailed them. Once he finds his way back into the Indian team, you will see the batter he is going to be for the rest of his career. A world-class short-form batter and someone who could fit into long-form cricket pretty easily,” Hopes, who has also spent three years with Shreyas as a coach at Delhi Capitals, said.
The former Australian all-rounder also hailed his captaincy, under which PBKS reached the final last year.
“From a captaincy viewpoint, he has got a lot of experience. He was very young when he was captaining Delhi, and he is more experienced; he is very well planned, and he still follows his gut. When he is with the team, he is also one of the boys; he really endears himself to the group,” he said.
ALSO READ | IPL: Struggling Kolkata Knight Riders looks for foothold against high-flying Rajasthan Royals
Hopes also explained that the team management always trusted Arshdeep Singh, who repaid the faith with figures of three for 22 against the Mumbai Indians after going wicketless in his first three games.
“It is just about convincing him not to panic, that the world is not ending. He has bowled a certain way for the Indian team, which was required for the T20 World Cup. There were high scores, and there were very defensive-minded bowling approaches, which is what the situation demanded. He came into the IPL, and I think he didn’t start the way he would have wanted to, but there was no panic. At the moment, Arshdeep is our first-over bowler and our senior bowler, and he is a world-class T20 bowler,” Hopes said.
Published on Apr 18, 2026
Punjab Kings fast bowling coach James Hopes, who has had a long association with Shreyas…
South Africa great Jonty Rhodes has seen fielding evolve from instinct to innovation, from sharp reflexes in the ring to choreographed brilliance at the boundary. And yet, even he found himself in awe.
During Punjab Kings’ IPL 2026 clash against Mumbai Indians, PBKS skipper Shreyas Iyer produced a moment that felt both modern and inevitable. In the 18th over, with MI captain Hardik Pandya looking to launch Marco Jansen into the stands, the ball soared towards long-on. Iyer sprinted across, judged the trajectory, and completed a juggling act at the rope, catching the ball, tossing it back mid-air as he lost balance, and relaying it to Xavier Bartlett to complete a “team catch”.
Watching it unfold, Rhodes could not help but reflect. “Watching Shreyas Iyer perform that acrobatic fielding to assist in taking the ‘team catch’ made me appreciate how fielding has evolved since my retirement,” he wrote on X. For a man long dubbed the gold standard, the shift is personal. “For a long time, I felt like the ‘father of fielding’… but watching these modern athletes… makes me feel like the ‘grandfather of fielding’.”
Rhodes’ own career was defined by inner-circle brilliance, but he admits the boundary was once an afterthought. “There was no focus on the modern day ‘hotspots’ on the boundaries,” he said, before tracing the change to his coaching days with Mumbai Indians. Encounters with players like Kieron Pollard and Glenn Maxwell reshaped the approach, introducing the now-familiar art of airborne saves and relay catches.
In an era of relentless hitting and Impact Players, Rhodes sees fielding as cricket’s last line of resistance. Iyer’s effort, he believes, was not just spectacular but necessary. And perhaps, fittingly, it came under the watch of Ricky Ponting, “one of the greatest fielders in the game.”
Published on Apr 18, 2026
South Africa great Jonty Rhodes has seen fielding evolve from instinct to innovation, from sharp reflexes in the ring to choreographed brilliance at the boundary. And yet, even he found himself in awe.
During Punjab Kings’ IPL 2026 clash against Mumbai Indians, PBKS skipper Shreyas Iyer produced a moment that felt both modern and inevitable. In the 18th over, with MI captain Hardik Pandya looking to launch Marco Jansen into the stands, the ball soared towards long-on. Iyer sprinted across, judged the trajectory, and completed a juggling act at the rope, catching the ball, tossing it back mid-air as he lost balance, and relaying it to Xavier Bartlett to complete a “team catch”.
Watching it unfold, Rhodes could not help but reflect. “Watching Shreyas Iyer perform that acrobatic fielding to assist in taking the ‘team catch’ made me appreciate how fielding has evolved since my retirement,” he wrote on X. For a man long dubbed the gold standard, the shift is personal. “For a long time, I felt like the ‘father of fielding’… but watching these modern athletes… makes me feel like the ‘grandfather of fielding’.”
Rhodes’ own career was defined by inner-circle brilliance, but he admits the boundary was once an afterthought. “There was no focus on the modern day ‘hotspots’ on the boundaries,” he said, before tracing the change to his coaching days with Mumbai Indians. Encounters with players like Kieron Pollard and Glenn Maxwell reshaped the approach, introducing the now-familiar art of airborne saves and relay catches.
In an era of relentless hitting and Impact Players, Rhodes sees fielding as cricket’s last line of resistance. Iyer’s effort, he believes, was not just spectacular but necessary. And perhaps, fittingly, it came under the watch of Ricky Ponting, “one of the greatest fielders in the game.”
Published on Apr 18, 2026
South Africa great Jonty Rhodes has seen fielding evolve from instinct to innovation, from sharp…
Nehal Wadhera was deep in conversation with Shreyas Iyer at the Wankhede Stadium ahead of Punjab Kings’ IPL clash against Mumbai Indians.
The youngster, who has struggled for form with just 27 runs in three innings, was keen to pick his captain’s brain on rediscovering his rhythm.
Shreyas, known for his calm demeanour, listened patiently before offering a simple yet impactful piece of advice. “He told me to play without any pressure and said that, as captain, it’s his job to take the pressure,” Wadhera said.
“That tells you a lot about him as a leader. He enjoys the pressure, and you can see that in his performances and his batting,” he added.
Preview | Under-fire Mumbai Indians to be tested by high-flying Punjab Kings
“It’s a big thing for a captain to say this to a player, that you just play your game, don’t worry about the results as I’m here to handle the pressure and take the team over the line. These are the kind of conversations we have in the dressing room.”
Wadhera also highlighted the positive environment fostered by head coach Ricky Ponting, crediting him for instilling confidence in the squad.
“He just speaks positively. He doesn’t have any negative words in his dictionary,” Wadhera said.
“Even if a player gets out, he focuses on the positives. A batter doesn’t fear failure because he knows he has the backing of the coach.”
With strong support from both captain and coach, Wadhera believes the environment within the Punjab Kings camp allows players the freedom to express themselves.
Published on Apr 15, 2026
Nehal Wadhera was deep in conversation with Shreyas Iyer at the Wankhede Stadium ahead of Punjab Kings’ IPL clash against Mumbai Indians.
The youngster, who has struggled for form with just 27 runs in three innings, was keen to pick his captain’s brain on rediscovering his rhythm.
Shreyas, known for his calm demeanour, listened patiently before offering a simple yet impactful piece of advice. “He told me to play without any pressure and said that, as captain, it’s his job to take the pressure,” Wadhera said.
“That tells you a lot about him as a leader. He enjoys the pressure, and you can see that in his performances and his batting,” he added.
Preview | Under-fire Mumbai Indians to be tested by high-flying Punjab Kings
“It’s a big thing for a captain to say this to a player, that you just play your game, don’t worry about the results as I’m here to handle the pressure and take the team over the line. These are the kind of conversations we have in the dressing room.”
Wadhera also highlighted the positive environment fostered by head coach Ricky Ponting, crediting him for instilling confidence in the squad.
“He just speaks positively. He doesn’t have any negative words in his dictionary,” Wadhera said.
“Even if a player gets out, he focuses on the positives. A batter doesn’t fear failure because he knows he has the backing of the coach.”
With strong support from both captain and coach, Wadhera believes the environment within the Punjab Kings camp allows players the freedom to express themselves.
Published on Apr 15, 2026
Nehal Wadhera was deep in conversation with Shreyas Iyer at the Wankhede Stadium ahead of Punjab Kings’…
KKR vs PBKS Live Score, IPL 2026: Follow for all updates and highlights of the…
Shreyas Iyer knows the Eden Gardens surface like the back of his hand. Having led Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to its most recent Indian Premier League title in 2024, the seasoned campaigner is well aware of the strengths and vulnerabilities of his former franchise.
So, when he takes the field on Monday, this time as Punjab Kings captain, the visitors will feel they have an edge in preparation. Assistant bowling coach Trevor Gonsalves admitted that with Shreyas in the ranks, the team has been “precise in planning” against KKR.
“Shreyas has played with all the domestic players. He has been around with everyone, so particularly with KKR, it really does not make much difference,” Gonsalves said. “But yes, the planning that is there is very precise against KKR…”
Roped in by KKR ahead of the 2022 season, Shreyas missed the following edition due to injury, before leading from the front in 2024 to guide the side to the title. The franchise’s decision not to retain him raised eyebrows, but the seasoned batter responded in style, steering Punjab Kings to the final last season.
According to Gonsalves, Shreyas’ biggest strength lies in his ability to listen. “He has been very calm, very quiet. He has a very good ear. He listens to each player at length – that’s his biggest plus point,” Gonsalves said. “Our head coach Ricky Ponting and Shreyas are on the same page. I haven’t seen a single rift or difference in opinion between the captain and the coach.”
Published on Apr 05, 2026
Shreyas Iyer knows the Eden Gardens surface like the back of his hand. Having led Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to its most recent Indian Premier League title in 2024, the seasoned campaigner is well aware of the strengths and vulnerabilities of his former franchise.
So, when he takes the field on Monday, this time as Punjab Kings captain, the visitors will feel they have an edge in preparation. Assistant bowling coach Trevor Gonsalves admitted that with Shreyas in the ranks, the team has been “precise in planning” against KKR.
“Shreyas has played with all the domestic players. He has been around with everyone, so particularly with KKR, it really does not make much difference,” Gonsalves said. “But yes, the planning that is there is very precise against KKR…”
Roped in by KKR ahead of the 2022 season, Shreyas missed the following edition due to injury, before leading from the front in 2024 to guide the side to the title. The franchise’s decision not to retain him raised eyebrows, but the seasoned batter responded in style, steering Punjab Kings to the final last season.
According to Gonsalves, Shreyas’ biggest strength lies in his ability to listen. “He has been very calm, very quiet. He has a very good ear. He listens to each player at length – that’s his biggest plus point,” Gonsalves said. “Our head coach Ricky Ponting and Shreyas are on the same page. I haven’t seen a single rift or difference in opinion between the captain and the coach.”
Published on Apr 05, 2026
Shreyas Iyer knows the Eden Gardens surface like the back of his hand. Having led…
मुझे ये कतई पसंद नहीं- श्रेयस श्रेयस अय्यर ने 10 दिन में दो खिताबी मुकाबलों…