IPL 2025: Shreyas Iyer makes SHOCKING claim on lack of recognition after leading KKR to 3rd title in 2024

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Indian middle-order batter Shreyas Iyer expressed his disappointment to have not received enough recognition for his efforts after leading the Kolkata Knight Riders to IPL title win in 2024. Shreyas played a crucial role as a captain to end the KKR’s 10-year drought of clinching the coveted IPL trophy since winning it in 2014 under the leadership of Gautam Gambhir. This was the third IPL title for Kolkata Knight Riders, making them the second-most successful team in the tournament. 

Despite captaining the Kolkata Knight Riders to third IPL title last year, Shreyas Iyer was not retained by the franchise ahead of the IPL 2025 Auction. The 30-year-old found a new home in Punjab Kings, who picked him for a whopping 26.75 crore, making him the second-most expensive player in the history of IPL. Shreyas will be leading the Punjab Kings in the upcoming IPL season, where the side will be aiming to win their first title of the tournament. 

Shreyas Iyer was part of the Indian team that won the Champions Trophy 2025. He played a pivotal role in Team India’s successful campaign in the marquee. Following the Champions Trophy triumph, Shreyas spoke about how his efforts were not recognised despite leading the KKR to IPL triumph last year.

Speaking to Times of India (TOI), Shreyas Iyer stated that he was not frustrated by not getting a chance to make Team India comeback. However, the 30-year-old admitted that he did not get the recognition he deserved after leading the KKR to IPL title last year. 

“There was no frustration because I was playing the IPL. The major focus was to win the IPL, and thankfully, I won it.”  Shreyas said. 

“I personally felt I didn't get the recognition I wanted to after winning the IPL but at the end of the day, as long as you have self integrity and you keep doing the right things when no one is watching, that is more important and that is what I kept doing.” he added.

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Shreyas Iyer had a rollercoaster ride since January 2024. He was dropped from BCCI central contract list of players after he did not adhere to the BCCI’s directive to play domestic cricket. Thereafter, he was not picked for the Test series against England, Bangladesh, New Zealand, and Australia. However, Iyer made his comeback to the Indian team for the ODI series against England and Champions Trophy on the back of his brilliant performance in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, where he amassed 325 runs, including two centuries, at an impressive average of 325 while leading Mumbai to the title triumph last year.

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Speaking on winning the Champions Trophy 2025, Shreyas Iyer expressed his happiness while adding that he reassessed what went wrong after he was removed from the BCCI central contract list of players. 

“Extremely satisfying. To be honest it has been a journey and I have learnt a lot in this phase of my life where I got out of the contract after playing the 2023 ODI World Cup. I reassessed where I went wrong, what I should be doing, how well I need to focus on my fitness," Iyer said. 

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Shreyas Iyer scripted a brilliant comeback to Team India with his performances in the ODI series against England and Champions Trophy 2025. In three ODI matches against England, he amassed 181 runs, including two fifties, at an average of 60.33. In the Champions Trophy 2025, Shreyas was the highest run-getter for India, aggregating 243 runs, including two fifties, at an average of 48.06 in five matches. His best performance came against New Zealand in the final group stage of the tournament, scoring a valiant 79 off 98 balls.

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Following the Champions Trophy 2025, Shreyas Iyer received effusive praise from Rohit Sharma, who called him a ‘silent hero’ in India’s successful campaign in the marquee event. 

"Not to forget the silent hero Shreyas Iyer, who, throughout the tournament, was brilliant. He was very, very important in that middle phase for us.” Rohit said at the press conference.