New Delhi: Few leaders have changed the narrative as Shreyas Iyer has done in the high-stakes world of Indian cricket. At just 31, he has become the first captain in IPL history to guide three separate teams to the finals.

From a surprise mid-season appointment with Delhi Capitals in 2018 to lifting the IPL trophy with Kolkata Knight Riders in 2024 and marching Punjab Kings to the 2025 final, Iyer’s captaincy era is defined by one consistent magic, transforming underdogs into finalists, every single time

Delhi Capitals mid season captain

Shreyas Iyer’s captaincy journey started with a bolt from the blue. On 25 April 2018, Delhi Daredevils (now Capitals) were struggling under Gautam Gambhir. Just 23 years and 142 days old, Iyer was handed the armband mid-season becoming the youngest captain in Delhi’s IPL history and the fourth-youngest in the league overall.

His very first match as skipper? A blazing 93* off 40 balls (10 sixes) against KKR. Delhi won by 55 runs, and Man of the Match went to the new leader.

Under Iyer, Delhi went from more concise to consistent contenders. They made the playoffs in 2019 for the first time since 2012. In 2020, he guided them to their maiden IPL final, the only final in franchise history to date.

They finished second in the league stage and beat Sunrisers Hyderabad in Qualifier 2, only to lose the final to Mumbai Indians. Still, it was a historic turnaround.

Iyer captained DC in roughly 50 matches with a 56% win rate, proving that calm decision-making and backing his gut could change a franchise’s destiny

Also Read: – From fines to Flying catch Shreyas Iyer becomes talk of the town

From injury to IPL trophy for KKR

A shoulder injury ruled him out midway through 2021, prompting DC to hand the captaincy to Rishabh Pant. Iyer then moved to KKR in the 2022 mega-auction for ₹12.25 crore, where the franchise immediately named him captain.

However, the 2022 season proved tough, and KKR finished 7th.

Then came a major setback: a back injury forced him to miss the entire 2023 season and undergo surgery. Every on thinks if hi captaincy journey was over.

But 2024 was pure redemption. Iyer returned & led from the front with 351 runs, and took a rebuilt KKR to the top of the table. They demolished Sunrisers Hyderabad by 8 wickets in the final to win their third IPL title.

Iyer became only the second KKR captain (after Gambhir) to lift the trophy and the fifth Indian captain to win the IPL. He also joined an elite club as the first captain to take two different teams to the IPL final.

Punjab Kings till present

After KKR made the surprising decision to release him ahead of the 2025 mega-auction, Punjab Kings moved with stunning aggression. They signed Shreyas Iyer for ₹26.75 crore — making him the second most expensive player in IPL auction history at the time.

Punjab Kings had not reached the IPL playoffs in eleven years. They had been one of the tournament’s most persistent underachievers — a franchise with passionate support, real resources, and a habit of falling just short. Iyer was being brought in to end that.

Punjab Kings reached the 2025 IPL final — the first in the franchise’s history. They topped the points table at one stage of the tournament. Iyer himself scored 488 runs at a strike rate above 172, though by his own account, the team’s journey mattered more than personal milestones.

They lost narrowly to Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the final, but the achievement taking PBKS to a final after eleven years of hurt, was undeniable.

Also Read:- Do you know India got their first ever ODI win against which team ?

What makes Shreyas Iyer different as a captain

Iyer’s leadership isn’t loud it’s calculated, selfless, and brutally honest. He once said, “I hate losing. That’s what has elevated me to where I am right now as a captain.” That mindset has helped him overcome multiple injuries (shoulder in 2021, back surgery in 2023, spleen issue in 2025) and still bounce back stronger.

He’s fluent in Tamil, Marathi, and Hindi, and carries the calm of a Mumbai street cricketer who knows how to fight. Whether it’s a dressing-room six-hitting contest to boost team morale or trusting youngsters in crunch moments, Iyer builds cultures, not just teams.

Facts that make him up to the mark

• In the same year (2024), Iyer quietly captained Mumbai to the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) title — scoring 351 runs in the tournament. He became the first player in history to win both the IPL and SMAT as captain. A double trophy haul in one calendar year.
• He was the Emerging Player of the Season in his IPL debut year (2015) with DC.
• He’s the only captain to register top-two finishes with three different IPL teams.
• In domestic cricket, he still represents Mumbai and has led India A sides as well.

Across three franchises, Iyer has captained over 100 IPL matches with a win rate consistently above 55–60%. From a team that hadn’t reached playoffs in years (PBKS) to a side chasing their first final (DC) to a title-starved giant (KKR), he has delivered finals every single time.

As IPL 2026 unfolds, the question isn’t whether Shreyas Iyer can do it again with Punjab Kings, it’s how many more finals this quiet Mumbai boy will add to his extraordinary resume.

Also Read:- Do you know India lost its first ever ODI against England in 1974