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Shreyas Iyer's journey from being labelled the 'bad boy' of Indian cricket to leading Punjab Kings to the IPL 2025 final is a tale of redemption. His aggressive personality, once criticized, has evolved into fearless leadership.
Punjab Kings skipper Shreyas Iyer’s name has been buzzing on social media after he powered his team to the IPL 2025 final with a match-winning knock against Mumbai Indians in Qualifier 2 at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday, June 1.
Shreyas Iyer showcased his composure and maturity to anchor the innings and chase down a mammoth 204-run target set by the Mumbai Indians. More than his performance, the attitude and swag he carried throughout the match caught the attention of the spectators and fans. Such a personality was once labelled the ‘bad boy’ of Indian cricket as he often came across as brash, confrontational, and aggressive in body language.
Shreyas Iyer’s personality, which once seemed as a reflection of arrogance and defiance, has now evolved into a symbol of fearless leadership and controlled aggression. His ongoing IPL season with the Punjab Kings is more of a continuation of his resurgence from the ‘bad boy’ image that has now transformed into a tale of redemption.
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An interview that put Shreyas in the bad spotlight
Shreyas Iyer is often known not just for his batting but also for his fiery personality and carrying attitude in his sleeve during the matches. This was evident after the Punjab Kings’ Qualifier 1 win over Mumbai Indians, where he spat chewing gum after hitting a winning six to take the team over the finishing line. However, the 30-year-old’s personality had once landed him in the spotlight.
This was in the 2023 ODI World Cup after India defeated Sri Lanka at the Wankhede Stadium. At the press conference, a reporter questioned him about his short-ball weakness and the criticism around it, to which Iyer sharply replied by dismissing his concerns and said, “Haven’t you seen the runs I've scored on short balls? You guys have created this atmosphere. In my mind, I have no problem with the short ball.”
This interview drew flak on social media for his sounding arrogant and dismissive, with many fans criticising his tone as unbecoming of a national player, further fueling the "bad boy" narrative. Shreyas Iyer is someone who has never shied away from expressing himself and showing his true personality, but that press conference from the 2023 ODI World Cup had put him in a bad spotlight.
Punishment from the BCCI took a career hit
Shreyas Iyer was doing well in his international career until the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) took strong action against him. Back in January, Iyer received an ultimatum from the BCCI - either participate in domestic cricket or face consequences. This was BCCI’s way of pushing certain cricketers, including Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan, to play domestic cricket as they were repeatedly skipping Ranji Trophy commitments despite being fit.
When Shreyas Iyer did not turn up for Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy quarterfinal, the BCCI decided to send a strong message by removing him from the BCCI central contract list for players. This was punishment from the BCCI to Shreyas Iyer for not adhering to the board’s direction of playing domestic cricket to be considered for national selection. Thereafter, Iyer was not included in the squad for the ODI series against Sri Lanka, the Test series against Bangladesh, New Zealand, and South Africa.
This seemed like a major turning point in the career of Shreyas Iyer, who cemented his place in the Indian team with his consistency and match-winning abilities across formats, especially in the middle-order. After the BCCI removed him central contracts list for players, Shreyas Iyer was left with no choice but to reassess his discipline and work ethic.
The redemption arc and regaining of the central contract
Shreyas Iyer’s redemption arc began with captaining the Kolkata Knight Riders to their third IPL triumph and the first since 2014. Thereafter, he performed well in domestic cricket, including the Ranji Trophy, Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, and Vijay Hazare Trophy.
In the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, Shreyas Iyer was the Mumbai captain and led the team to their second title of the tournament, while contributing with the bat, amassing 345 runs in nine matches. In the Vijay Hazare Trophy, the 30-year-old amassed 325 runs, including two centuries, at an average of 54.16 in six matches.
After a successful Vijay Hazare Trophy campaign last year, the 30-year-old made his comeback to Team India after over a year for the ODI series against England and the Champions Trophy 2025. In the three ODIs against England, Iyer had a good outing as he amassed 181 runs, including two fifties, at an average of 60.33 in three matches. In the Champions Trophy 2025, Shreyas Iyer emerged as the highest run-getter for India, aggregating 243 runs, including two fifties, at an average of 48.06 in five matches.
Considering his performances in domestic cricket and contribution to India’s Champions Trophy campaign, the BCCI decided to reward him with a central contract. With this, Shreyas Iyer’s comeback completed a full circle after he regained his central contract a year after he was dropped from the list by the BCCI. Iyer has been categorised in Grade B of the central contract with an annual salary of INR 3 crore from the BCCI. It was a comeback that underscored Iyer’s resilience as he responded to the setback with his weighty performances last year.
Knight Riders lose, Punjab Kings gain
Despite leading Kolkata Knight Riders to the IPL title triumph last year, Shreyas Iyer was surprisingly released from the setup by the franchise, which led to fans and experts questioning their decision not to retain their title-winning captain. It was reported that the money factor played a role in KKR’s decision to release Shreyas Iyer.
At the IPL 2025 Auction, Punjab Kings pounced on the opportunity to sign Shreyas Iyer for a whopping INR 26.75 crore, making him the second-most expensive player in the history of IPL. The PBKS franchise acquisition of Shreyas Iyer eventually paid dividends as he not only contributed significantly with the bat but also led the side to their first final since 2014. Kolkata Knight Riders, on the other hand, were knocked out of the tournament as the defending champions under the leadership of Ajinkya Rahane.
Shreyas Iyer will look to build on this momentum and silence his critics once and for all when he leads Punjab Kings to their maiden IPL title when they take on Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Tuesday, June 3.
In the ongoing IPL season, Shreyas Iyer has amassed 603 runs, including 6 fifties, at an average of 54.82 in 16 matches so far.
