Ranji Trophy 2024-25 second round roundup: Top performers
Cheteshwar Pujara, Sai Sudarshan, Amandeep Khare, Jagjit Singh, Jagjit Singh, Manisankar Murasingh etc were among the top performers in the second-round matches of the Ranji Trophy 2024-25 season.
The first-round matches of the Ranji Trophy 2024-25 season have ended with Tripura, Mumbai, Baroda, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Vidarbha, Uttarakhand, Chandigarh, Goa, Nagaland and Mizoram standing out as winners. Six matches ended in a draw, with one getting abandoned with a ball being bowled. After 19 matches in the Elite and Plate groups, here are the top performers of the first round.
Cheteshwar Pujara | 234
Cheteshwar Pujara, known for his classic defense, stands second in the list of top performers. Pujara scored a steady 234 off 383 balls when his team Saurashtra was struggling at 13/1 against Chandigarh.
His innings include 24 boundaries and one over boundary, with a moderate strike rate of 61.10.
It was Pujara's 18th First-Class double century that also came in aid to restrict the match in a draw against Chhattisgarh.
Tamil Nadu put a massive total of 674 after losing 6 wickets against Delhi. Sai Sudarshan holds the major credit for scoring an impressive 213 runs of 274 balls, smashing 24 boundaries and one over boundary. He maintained a strike rate of 77.74.
Delhi being bundled out within 266, TN was forced to follow on. However, the match ended in a draw.
Amandeep Khare | 203*
Chattisgarh skipper Amandeep Khare played an unbeaten knock of 203 runs off 394 balls. Him with his teammate Sanjeet Desai (146 off 241) gave a respectful position of 578 runs for Chattisgarh, until the match ended a draw.
Amandeep's innings include 20 boundaries and 4 overboundaries. He maintained a strike rate of 51.52.
Jagjit Singh | 7/57
Chandigarh seamer Jagjit Singh’s brilliant 7/57 against Assam in Guwahati powered his team to a 9-wicket win. Starting with Rahul Hazarika’s wicket, he tore through Assam’s middle order, reducing them to 121/5.
His swing and accuracy saw him claim five of the last six wickets, restricting Assam to 185 and setting up an easy chase of 78. Jagjit’s spell was key to Chandigarh's victory, making it one of the standout performances of the round.
Lalith Mohan | 7/76
Photo Credit: LALITH KALIDAS
Andhra's left-arm spinner Jagjit Singh delivered a stunning 7/76 in a tense clash against Gujarat in Ahmedabad.
Chasing 144, Gujarat seemed on course for victory but struggled against Lalith's flight and turn, with key wickets falling, including Jaymeet Patel and Chintan Gaja.
Despite Mohan's brilliant spell, Gujarat's tail edged a win by 1 wicket, leaving his performance as the highlight of Andhra's defeat.
Shivalik Sharma | 178
Baroda’s Shivalik Sharma, played a composed 178 off 394 balls at a srtrike rate of 45.18, for Baroda against Services.
Sharma rescued the team from a situation of rapid wickets falls against Services. His innings include 10 boundaries and two over boundaries.
Shivalik with his teammate Vishnu Solanki (125 off 297) put a total of 477 runs in the first innings.
Services came out to bat posting271 in response. Baroda declared after scoring 134 runs in the second innings to which Services fell short by 65 runs.
Ayush Mhatre | 176 & 15
The Mumbai opener scored 176 runs off 232 balls, with a strike rare of 75.86. He smashed 22 boundaries and 4 over boundaries.
Ayush Mhatre is one of the only two two batters for Mumbai who not not crossed 50, but did reach a ton.
The other batter, Shreyas Iyer, who played a comeback innings of 142, had Mhate to put 441 runs on the board, eventually winning the match against Maharashtra by 9 wickets.
Manisankar Murasingh | 6/52
Photo Credit: PRASHANT NAKWE/ The Hindu
Tripura's Manisankar Murasingh delivered a brilliant 6/52 in Shillong, securing an innings win against Meghalaya.
His pace, swing, and aggression dismantled Meghalaya's top order, removing Balchander Anirudh and Ajay Duhan cheaply, before cleaning up the tail to bowl them out for 222 and enforce the follow-on.
Shreyas Iyer is on the verge of a comeback to India’s Test and T20I squads after dominating in ODIs and IPL 2025. Let's have a look at Shreyas Iyer's best knocks in Tests.
Shreyas Iyer is on the verge of a comeback to India’s Test and T20I squads after dominating in ODIs and IPL 2025. Selectors now see Iyer as an all-format solution for India’s middle order, especially ahead of the Asia Cup and West Indies Test series. His comeback is expected to bring stability and experience, especially on spin-friendly tracks where India has struggled lately.
Iyer has been out of favour in Tests since a back issue and poor form saw him lose his berth during the home series against England last year. The decision-makers, however, feel Iyer has done all the right things since losing his contract after expressing a reluctance to play domestic cricket.
Let's have a look at Shreyas Iyer's best knocks in Tests.
Shreyas Iyer's best knocks in Tests
105 vs New Zealand (2021)
It was one of Shreyas Iyer's best knocks in Tests against New Zealand in the first test match in Kanpur. Iyer played a phenomenal knock of 105 runs off 171 balls, including 13 fours and two sixes. This knock was memorable for Iyer as it was his debut hundred in the test match against New Zealand.
92 vs Sri Lanka (2022)
Iyer played a gem of a knock in the pink-ball Test at M Chinnaswamy Stadium against Sri Lanka in 2022. India were 86/4 after electing to bat. Iyer shone with a blistering 92 off 98 deliveries, whipping 10 fours and four maximums.
He played with the tail-enders and was the last man to be dismissed (252/10). India eventually won by 238 runs.
87 vs Bangladesh (2022)
Bowling first, India folded Bangladesh on 227. India, however, had a shaky start and were down to 94/4. Iyer then joined hands with a ferocious-looking Rishabh Pant and the duo plundered 159 runs for the fifth wicket. The pair played a part as India snatched an 87-run lead (314/10).
Iyer smacked 87 off 105 deliveries (4s: 10, 6s: 2), lifting India from the trenches.
86 vs Bangladesh (2022)
India stumbled in the first Test too (112/4 in 31.4 overs). They needed to keep the Tigers at bay. Iyer and Cheteshwar Pujara delivered the needful, stitching a 149-run partnership before the latter departed (261/5).
Iyer got out the next day after a well-struck 86 off 192 deliveries. India ended up scoring 404 in the first innings and eventually won by 188 runs.
67 vs Sri Lanka (2022)
Rishabh Pant put the Sri Lankan attack to the sword with a record-breaking half-century while Shreyas Iyer yet again conjured up a measured fifty to let India grab complete control of the second Test over Sri Lanka.
Pant’s 31-ball 50 and Iyer’s 67 after useful contributions from top-order batters meant that India set Sri Lanka a mammoth 447-run target after declaring their second innings at 303 for nine.
It was another mature knock from Iyer while playing only his second innings in the purest format. India (41/3) were in a spot of bother when the debutant arrived. Despite running out of partners, Iyer managed to carve a 125-ball 65. He ended up top-scoring for the hosts.
He was noted for fetching pivotal stands with Ashwin and Wriddhiman Saha, helping India reach 167/7.
Most Hundreds in Test cricket among active players
With 39 test tons, Joe Root is now the player with most hundreds in test cricket among active cricketers. Steve Smith and Kane Williamson follow him on the list.
Test cricket, mostly called the purest format of the game, has seen some of the greatest cricketers and batters showing their skills with patience, stroke-making ability and the perseverance to bat long and score.
Past greats and legends like Don Bradman, Sunil Gavaskar, Sachin Tendulkar, Brian Lara, Jacques Kallis and many others dominated test cricket during their time. But, with modern cricket kicking in, this time we will look at the list of active players with the most hundreds in test cricket.
Players with most Test centuries in cricket history
Infographic by Sportz Point
Before we talk about the current active cricketers, we should and must take a look at all the batters who dominate the overall list. As we all know, Sachin Tendulkar is the batter with most hundreds in test cricket. In fact, his record of 100 international tons might not be broken ever in cricket history.
Before Sachin broke into the scene, there was Sir Don Bradman, who had retired as the batter with the most test centuries (29), and later the little master Sunil Gavaskar broke his record and finished his career with 34 test centuries. But, do they come in the list of players with the most test centuries? Let's take a look at that.
So, sadly, one of the greatest cricketers in cricket history, Sir Don Bradman, does not even come in the top 10 batters with the most test tons in cricket history. Interestingly, only Joe Root is the active cricketer on that list. Hence, you already know who the active cricketer with the most test tons is: Joe Root.
Most Test Centuries by active cricketers
#10. Ben Stokes | 13
Regarded as one of the best test cricketers of the 2010s and 2020s, Ben Stokes is perhaps the greatest match-winner of modern cricket. The southpaw batter is as lethal with the bat in the lower middle order and can change his gear with regard to the needs of the game.
Not only that, his skill to bat with the tail and chase nearly impossible totals in the last inning is quite remarkable.
Stokes has 13 test centuries against his name in 113 test matches for the Three Lions. His 258 in just 198 balls against South Africa in Cape Town saw him make the fastest test double century by any English cricketer. That is also the highest test score by a batter batting at number six.
And, yes, who can forget his immortal innings of 135 at Edgbaston in the 2019 Ashes Test, where he single-handedly achieved England's highest successful run chase in Tests, with Jack Leach at the other end.
#9 Tom Latham | 13
Tom Latham, the Kiwi opener, is surely one of the best top-order batters of this generation. Although he has always been in the shadow of Kane Williamson, Latham has contributed well to his country since his test debut in 2014. In the last ten years, Latham has played 81 test matches and scored 5516 test runs so far, including 13 test centuries, which places him at number nine in this list.
Latham's unbeaten 264 against Sri Lanka in Wellington in 2018 is the highest score by any opener while carrying his bat. Not only that, he is only the second Kiwi cricketer to carry his bat in test cricket.
Latham is currently the vice-captain of the test team and one of the reasons for New Zealand's success in recent years.
#8. Mominul Haque | 13
He might be the most surprising name on this list of active players with most hundreds in test cricket.
Mominul Haque, the stylish and gritty test batter from Bangladesh, is at No. 8 on this list with 13 test tons. The top-order batter started his test career with a record-breaking 181 against Sri Lanka, which is the highest debut score by any Bangladeshi batter.
Since then, he has been one of the pillars of the Bangladeshi batting lineup in tests. From 2013 to 2017, Haque averaged over 50 with the bat, which dropped to below 40 post-2022.
He is one of only six batters, including the likes of Don Bradman, Kumar Sangakkara and Jacques Kallis, to score seven test tons at a single venue; Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram.
#7 Usman Khawaja | 16
Another top-order batter in the list of active players with most test hundreds, who has made tons of runs in the last few years for Australia. Usman, who was born in Pakistan and later moved to Australia as a young kid, made his test debut in 2011, replacing the great Ricky Ponting at number.
At that time, he became the first Muslim cricketer to play for Australia. Despite a decent debut match, Khawaja was never given a long run and kept losing his spot in the team.
In 2015-16, he made another solid return to the test squad, but his failure in away tests always kept him in and out of the team. But, after his comeback with two tons in a single test match in 2022 against England in Sydney, Khwaja has emerged as one of the best batters for Australia. His move at the top of the order has also helped him regain his lost confidence at the international level.
Post a stunning 2023, where he scored 1210runs in 13 test matches at 52.60, Khawaja won the 2023 ICC Test Cricketer of the Year award.
In 80 test matches so far, Khawaja has scored 5930 test runs, including 16 test tons and 27 fifty-plus scores. He is also the sixth-highest run-scorer (3251) in the World Test Championship's history, despite playing only 42 matches.
#6 Dimuth Karunaratne | 16
Dimuth Karunaratne has been one of the greatest modern-day batters for Sri Lanka in recent years. The Sri Lankan batter is sixth in our list of active players with most hundreds in test cricket.
The opening batter comes from the same St Joseph's College, which produced players like Angelo Mathews and Thisara Perera. Dimuth debuted for Sri Lanka in tests in 2012 and gradually cemented his place in the team despite a duck in his debut inning.
In 2014, he scored his debut hundred against New Zealand in Christchurch and has scored 15 more in his test career since then. Three years later, he missed his first double ton by four runs when he played an outstanding knock of 196 against Pakistan in Dubai. In 2021, he scored hundreds in three back-to-back test matches, and one of them was a 244 against Bangladesh, his best in test cricket.
Another Sri Lankan in the list of active batters with the most test centuries prove why, despite not being considered a force, they have done well in recent times. Dinesh Chandimal, one of the most underrated cricketers going around, has climbed up in the list with a stunning hundred (116) against New Zealand at Galle.
Chandimal, just like Angelo Mathews, emerged on the scene as one of the best talents in the country and became a mainstay in the middle order after the retirement of the legendary Sangakkara-Jayawardene pair. At 23, he was chosen as the T20I captain and as Mathews' deputy in tests.
In 2013, Dinesh scored back-to-back centuries against Bangladesh and then played an unbeaten 162 against India in 2015 to nearly drag Sri Lanka to a win from an impossible position. His 164 against India in Delhi in 2017 was one of his remarkable innings after leading Sri Lanka to a 2-0 victory against Pakistan, away from home.
However, after that, he could not keep his form, and it wasn't until 2022 that he came back to his best with an unbeaten 206 against Australia at Galle to deny the mighty Aussies a test series win.
Till now, Chandimal has scored 16 test centuries in 88 test matches and looks like a strong candidate to be the first one to reach 20 test centuries among the active Sri Lankan cricketers.
#4. Cheteshwar Pujara | 19
Although he has not been a part of the Indian test team since 2023, Cheteshwar Pujara is still an active test cricketer. The modern wall of Indian cricket, who was among one of the rarest batters in this counterattacking generation to tire the bowlers down and play a whole day of test cricket, without giving it a second thought.
Pujara's temperament was one of the main reasons why he was called up for the national team in 2010. After a very impressive 72 against Australia on debut, it was only a matter of time before Pujara became a mainstay of the Indian team.
Soon, he became the joint-fastest Indian to 1000 Test runs, and quickly he became the new Wall of Indian cricket. Till now, in 103 test matches, Pujara has scored 7195, including 19 centuries.
Recent drop in form has kept in out of the Indian team, but his love for the game has kept him going at the domestic level. Pujara is one of the 13 players in test cricket history to bat in each day of a five-day test match.
Although Pujara has not played a test match for a long time, since he has not retired, he is fourth on our list of active players with most hundreds in test cricket.
Kane Williamson has been the best Kiwi cricketer of the last two decades, and even the great Martin Crowe believed that he would finish as the greatest batter from New Zealand.
Debuted in 2010, Kane scored a ton against India in Ahmedabad and since then, has never had to look back. 24 years and 151 days old, Kane then became the youngest New Zealand cricketer to score 3000 test runs. In 2015, Kane hit his first double ton against Sri Lanka in Wellington and since then has scored five more test double tons.
As a leader, Kane in 2018 became the fourth Kiwi captain to win a test series in England, followed by a first-ever series triumph against Pakistan, away from home.
Williamson, with 9276 test runs, is the player with the most test runs for New Zealand. He also holds the record for most test centuries scored by a Kiwi batter (33). He is also the quickest batter in test history (by innings) to reach 33 test tons.
Moreover, Williamson was also the first-ever Kiwi captain to lead them to an ICC trophy success when he led them to the WTC title in 2021 against India. The former Kiwi captain is also New Zealand's highest run-getter in WTC history with 2822 runs at 61.34 average and 11 test tons.
#2 Steve Smith | 36
After starting as a leg spinner in 2010, Steve Smith's journey to become one of the greatest test batters for Australia is quite remarkable. Despite getting banned for 12 months due to the ball-tampering scandal in 2018, Smith made a great comeback to test cricket and has scored 9 test centuries since 2019.
Smith scored his first century in 2013 against England at the Oval and scored three more in his next six matches. Before he was made the captain in 2015, he was already the No.1 ranked test batter in the world, scoring seven centuries in 17 test matches in 2014-15, including centuries in four consecutive test matches.
In 2017, he scored six test tons, including a double ton in just 11 test matches to win his second ICC Test Cricketer of the Year award second time, after winning it in 2015.
Though in the past few years, bowlers have found some ways to stop him from scoring runs with his unorthodox style, he scored five centuries in 13 innings from July 2022 to June 2023.
In 2024, Smith scored two consecutive test centuries in the Australia vs India Border-Gavaskar Trophy series. With 36 test tons in just 118 tests, he is now the player with the second most hundreds in test cricket among active cricketers.
#1 Joe Root | 39
2021 Test Cricketer of the Year, nominated again in 2023 for the same award, most runs and tons in World Test Championship history, most test runs by any English batter, most test tons by any English batter; these are the few achievements Joe Root made in the last seven years.
The youngest of the "fav four", Root debuted in 2012 on England's tour to India and impressed with a 73 from 229 balls, and everyone saw his ability to stay at the crease and play long.
Five tests later, he scored his first test hundred in England against New Zealand in 2013. Two tests later, he followed that up with a 180 against Australia at Lord's.
Before he was made the captain in 2017, he had already played 53 test matches in five years with a batting average of over 50. 190 in the first inning as test captain, and all knew he would go on to break all the records for England. Root finished 2017 with 1481 for England despite scoring only two tons.
The story continued the same way for him in the following year, as despite scoring lots of fifty-plus scores, Root could score only two test tons as England struggled in tests as a team.
But, everything changed for him in 2021 as he started the year with one century and one double century in the first three tests. Another back-to-back hundred against India at home would mean he would go on to win the 2021 ICC Test Cricketer of the Year Award.
Root that year nearly broke the record of the most test runs scored in a calendar year with 1708 test runs, missing the record by 80 runs.
Since the start of 2022, Root has scored 16 test tons, scoring 4012 test runs at an average of 54.95. In WTC, he is the highest run scorer with6080 runsat an average of 52.86 and 21 centuries.
With 39 test tons, Joe Root is now the player with most hundreds in test cricket among active cricketers.
BCCI has announced the schedule for the upcoming Duleep Trophy 2025 which begins on August 28 in Bengaluru. After this, the announcement of the names of team captains has also started. This time also, like the old format, teams from four zones will participate in it. Now, as per the latest developments, the squad of West Zone has been announced.
While Shardul Thakur has been made the new captain of the team, Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara have not found a place in the team.
Shreyas and Jaiswal will play under Shardul's captaincy
The West Zone team has been announced for the Duleep Trophy. This time the captaincy has been handed over to Shardul Thakur. Shreyas Iyer and Yashasvi Jaiswal will be seen playing under the captaincy of Shardul Thakur. Apart from this, Sarfaraz Khan, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Tushar Deshpande have also been included in the team.
However, Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara, who have been playing continuously for this team, are not seen in the squad this time.
Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane last played a Test match for India in 2023. Pujara played a crucial role in India’s Test series victories in Australia in 2018-19 and 2020-21. Notably, Rahane captained Team India to a memorable Border-Gavaskar Trophy win in 2020-21 despite several key players being unavailable.
Shreyas Iyer set to available for West Zone
Shreyas Iyer had made himself available for the upcoming Duleep Trophy. The middle-order batter has played 14 Test matches for India. However, he has not been part of the Test setup since February 2024, when he last featured against England.
Iyer was a key figure in India’s Champions Trophy-winning campaign in Dubai earlier this year. He also scored 480 runs in the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy at an average of 68.57, including two centuries. He continued his form into the IPL, where he led Punjab Kings to their first final in over a decade.
According to Cricbuzz, South Zone and West Zone have been handed direct qualification into the Duleep Trophy 2025 semifinals. And the two quarterfinals are already set.
ENG vs IND, 4th test: Three Indian players ruled out, what could be possible Indian lineup?
Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, along with Nitish Kumar Reddy have been ruled out of the ENG vs IND, 4th test in Manchester. Here is the possible lineup of the Indian cricket team in the fourth test.
Indian cricket team management suffered major setbacks ahead of the ENG vs IND, 4th test in Manchester, starting from Wednesday. Two Indian pacers, Akash Deep and Ashdeep Singh, have been ruled out of the 4th test along with all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy.
With three players already ruled out due to injuries, Shubman Gill and company will have to find solutions within the squad to name a strong playing XI at Old Trafford.
Left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh, who was hit on his bowling hand, needed stitches. As per the reports of the Indian Express on Sunday, the Medium Pacer will need at least 10 days to recover. This has already ruled him out of the fourth test, and he is unlikely to return for the final test starting on 31st July.
Arshdeep Singh suffered a finger injury while bowling at the nets. Image | BCCI on X
As per the same report by The Indian Express, another pacer, Akash Deep, who was India's hero in their first-ever Test win in Birmingham, has issues with his groin and back. The Indian team management does not want to take risks with his injuries, and thus, he will be monitored as a precaution.
On the other hand, Hindustan Times reported that all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy suffered an injury during the gym session on Sunday. So he is also ruled out of the fourth test at Old Trafford Stadium.
In the situation where India are trailing by 1-2 in the Test series and needs to win the 4th test, to be in contention to win the series, Gautam Gambhir and company will have to dig deep to find solutions.
Here are the solutions India can go for during the 4th test.
#1 Bumrah, Siraj, Shardul, and who?
Shardul Thakur during a parctice session. Image - BCCI on X
With both Akashdeep and Arshdeep Singh being ruled out, there is certainty that Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammad Siraj will be India's leading pacers in the fourth test. Although our questions on the workload management of both those pacers, they will have to be at their best if India wants to bring balance to the series.
Now, with Nitish Kumar Reddy's injury, India will have to go back to Shardul Thakur, who played in the first test in Leeds. The Mumbai all-rounder only scored 4 runs and took two wickets in that match.
But if India wants to go for another pacer, they will have the option of Prasidh Krishna and newcomer Anshul Kamboj. Krishna, who did not do very well in the first two test matches, might not be brought back. In that case, Kamboj, who has done well in the first-class games he has played so far, is likely to get his test cap.
Kuldeep last played a test match in 2024. Image | BCCI on X
Now, this has been an inclusion that Indian fans have been waiting for from the first test. Kuldeep, who last featured in test matches for India in 2024 against New Zealand at home, can bring the ex-factor in the bowling lineup. But this will leave the batting lineup a bit thin.
Since Gautam Gambhir has always looked to go for that added batting cushion, it will be hard for Kuldeep to find his place. Even if he plays, will India look to sacrifice Washington Sundar? This would be a very hard question to answer.
#3 Jurel to keep, Pant to play as a specialist batter
Jurel kept wickets for India during the Lord's test. Image | BCCI on X
Along with these three injuries, we had already reported that Rishabh Pant has not recovered fully from the finger injury he suffered during the Lord's Test. In that case, Dhruv Jurel, who kept wicket at Lord's, is likely to play as a wicket keeper while Rishabh Pant could play as only a specialist batter.
If Jurel comes in, India can leave Shardul out and bring Kuldeep Yadav into the playing XI. However, it will only depend on the pitch condition.
ENG vs IND, 4th test: India's possible lineup
Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (C), Rishabh Pant, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj
From emerging star to captain fantastic: Shreyas Iyer's IPL journey
From his debut as an emerging star to his elevation as a fantastic captain, Shreyas Iyer's IPL journey has been phenomenal. Explore his influence and achivements in this tournament, along with the key moments that shaped his IPL career.
Shreyas Iyer's IPL journey is a compelling story of growth, dedication, and leadership. From stepping into the grand stage as a promising young batsman to eventually shouldering the responsibility of captaincy and winning the trophy, he has finally earned the love and respect he deserved from all the cricket fans.
Explore this journey with us and relive those battles he fought to evolve from an emerging star to captain fantastic!
Iyer's IPL debut and initial impact (2015-2017) | Delhi Capitals
Shreyas Iyer playing for DC in his debut season in IPL 2015. Image | CC
Shreyas Iyer made his IPL debut at the age of 20 years and 6 months in 2015 season. His journey began with a bang when he was acquired by Delhi Capitals for ₹2.6 crore, which made headlines as he became the highest earning uncapped player in the tournament.
His auction bid spotlight on him and he responded with a sensational debut, scoring 439 runs at an average of 33.76 in that season. He also won the IPL emerging player for the season award in 2015.
Iyer became DC's favourite and was retained for seven years in a row.
Youngest captain for DC and early leadership (2018)
Shreyas Iyer in IPL 2020. Image | ESPNcricinfo
The 2018 season was a significant turning point in Shreyas Iyer's IPL journey. At the age of 23 years and 142 days, he was given the captaincy, which made him the youngest captain for DC franchise and the fourth-youngest in any IPL side in history.
Iyer smashed a match-winning knock of 93* runs off 40 balls against KKR in his captaincy debut. In the 8 matches he captained, DC won 4 out of them, showing a 50% winning rate.
Leading from the front: The Delhi Capitals Era (2019-2022)
Shreyas Iyer posing with the IPL trophy in 2020. Image | NDTV
Iyer continued as a captain, leading the franchise into a new, more successful era from 2019 onwards. He led the team into the playoffs for the first time in seven years, finishing third in the league stage in IPL 2019.
He also had a strong season with the bat, scoring 463 runs.
Under his strong leadership, Delhi Capitals reached their maiden IPL final in the history of the tournament in IPL 2020. While the team lost to Mumbai Indians in the finals, Iyer's captaincy was highly praised.
He scored 65* runs off 50 balls in the final match.
Iyer's stats for DC (2015-2021)
Throughout his captaincy tenure (2018-2020), Iyer consistently contributed with the bat. His best season with the bat was in IPL 2020, when he scored 519 runs in 17 matches.
He was succeeded by Rishabh Pant as the captain in IPL 2021 season.
Season
Matches
Runs
Highest
SR
50s
2015
14
439
83
128.36
4
2016
6
30
19
69.76
0
2017
12
338
96
139.09
2
2018
14
411
93*
132.58
4
2019
16
463
67
119.94
3
2020
17
519
88*
123.27
3
2021
8
175
47*
102.33
0
He scored a total of 2375 runs in 87 matches for Delhi Capitals.
A new chapter: KKR and the title glory (2022-2024)
Shreyas Iyer's poolside pose with the IPL trophy won in 2024. Image | India Today
Shreyas Iyer entered the 2022 mega auction and was picked by Kolkata Knight Riders for ₹12.25 crore, and was immediately appointed as the new captain.
His first year with KKR concluded with a 7th position finish in the points table, and him scoring 401 runs in 14 matches total.
Missing a season (2023)
Iyer was ruled out entirely of IPL 2023 due to his back injury and Nitish Rana stepped in as the captain for KKR during his absence. He eventually recovered and made a grand comeback in the next season.
The Champion season: Leading KKR to their 3rd IPL title
The 2024 IPL season under Iyer's captaincy was nothing short of a fairy tale for KKR, and they got the ending they deserved. They dominated the game throughout the tournament and finished at the top of the points table.
Things even accelerated in the playoffs, where KKR delivered stunning team performances. They finally clinched the IPL title by defeating SRH by 8 wickets in the Final.
Shreyas Iyer speaking at the press conference before the final match of IPL 2025. Image | Instagram
The reigning champion, KKR, made a big decision to not retain Shreyas Iyer ahead he mega auction, which left the fans shocked. However, Punjab Kings acquired him for ₹26.75 crore, making him the second-most expensive player in IPL history.
He was appointed as the captain and consistently proved how he was worth every penny!
Punjab Kings often struggled for consistency in their earlier seasons, and Shreyas completely changed the narrative for them this year. He started this season for the franchise with a selfless 97*, sacrificing his maiden IPL century, and led the team to 9 wins out of 14 matches.
Under his captaincy, the team not only qualified for the playoffs after 11 years, but also finished at the top of the table in league stage.
Leading PBKS to a historic Final
After breaking the 11-year drought of qualifying for playoffs, the team also reached their first final since 2014. Shreyas Iyer single-handedly made this possible with his match-winning knock of 87* off 41 balls in the Qualifier 2. He also became the captain with most 50+ scores in IPL playoffs.
Punjab put up an extremely tough fight for Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the final, ultimately losing by just 6 runs. Iyer's impact was undeniable for PBKS, who made this season a memorable one for them.
He also became the first captain to lead 3 different teams to the IPL Finals (DC in 2020, KKR in 2024, and PBKS in 2025).
Shreyas Iyer was the highest-scorer for PBKS in 2025 and finished 6th in the Orange Cap leaderboard. He also smashed 39 sixes in this season, which overall the second-highest.