"Ambati Rayudu Expresses Confidence in Shreyas Iyer and Punjab Kings for IPL 2025 Playoffs"
Reborn and Fired Up: Shreyas Iyer's Anticipated Showdown Against KKR
Shreyas Iyer, the new captain of Punjab Kings (PBKS), is expected to bring a blaze of motivation to the upcoming IPL 2025 encounter against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Iyer tasted the pinnacle of victory as KKR's skipper last season, only to be side-stepped by the franchise for the new season.
With PBKS snatching him up at the IPL auction 2025, Iyer now finds himself at the helm of a new ship and brimming with determination. Iyer's motivation stems from a complex blend of personal growth, unfinished business, and the opportunity to lead a fresh crew.
Remarkably, Iyer's form has been on a steady ascent since the Champions Trophy, marked by a string of impressive performances in the current season, with scores of 97 and 52 under his belt. His insatiable hunger for challenges has been identified as a significant driving force behind his resurgence.
The match at the Eden Gardens Stadium in Kolkata on Saturday promises to ignite a spark within Iyer, revisiting the ground where he clinched the IPL trophy with KKR last season. This encounter provides an opportunity to return to familiar terrain and take on his former team. It's a prospect that unquestionably kindles a fierce fire within him.
Former cricketing legends Sunil Gavaskar and Ambati Rayudu have predicted that Iyer's fervor will be palpable during this clash, driven by his non-retention by KKR and his newfound role as PBKS captain.
As Ajinkya Rahane's KKR guns for a comeback following two consecutive defeats, they face Iyer-led PBKS, currently seated comfortably in fifth position with five victories under their belt. Sitting in seventh place, KKR must secure five more wins from their remaining six games to maintain hopes of qualifying for the top four. A successful outing for PBKS, on the other hand, could catapult them above Mumbai Indians and into the fourth position, sharing the same points tally with Gujarat Titans, Delhi Capitals, and Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
Kolkata Knight Riders Squad:Rahmanullah Gurbaz (w), Sunil Narine, Ajinkya Rahane (c), Venkatesh Iyer, Rinku Singh, Moeen Ali, Andre Russell, Ramandeep Singh, Harshit Rana, Vaibhav Arora, Varun Chakaravarthy, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Manish Pandey, Anukul Roy, Rovman Powell, Luvnith Sisodia, Quinton de Kock, Anrich Nortje, Spencer Johnson, Chetan Sakariya, Mayank Markande.
Punjab Kings Squad:Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh, Shreyas Iyer (c), Josh Inglis (w), Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Marco Jansen, Xavier Bartlett, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal, Harpreet Brar, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Praveen Dubey, Glenn Maxwell, Suryansh Shedge, Yash Thakur, Aaron Hardie, Azmatullah Omarzai, Kuldeep Sen, Harnoor Singh, Vishnu Vinod, Musheer Khan, Pyla Avinash.
- In the upcoming IPL 2025, Rayudu and Gavaskar have predicted that Kuldeep will face off against his former team, Kolkata Knight Riders, as the new captain of Punjab Kings at the Eden Gardens Stadium.
- During the encounter on Saturday, Shreyas Iyer, who was side-stepped by KKR for the new season, will compete against his former team, aiming to oust them from their position in the top four.
- The sports world is eagerly awaiting the 2025 IPL encounter between Punjab Kings, led by Shreyas Iyer, and Kolkata Knight Riders, as Iyer strives to prove his worth against his former team and in a bid to catapult his team to a higher position in the league standings.
