Iyer, Hope of Punjab as Leads Kings Against Gujarat Titans in IPL Opener

Mohali, March 24:  Punjab Kings' new skipper Shreyas Iyer will be hogging the limelight in the first match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) season 2025 when his team will play against Gujarat Titans in a nail-biting game. Having had a rollercoaster year last season, Punjab Kings will be banking big time on Iyer's captaincy to stabilize and succeed with the team.

Iyer, who has assumed the position of team captain this season from Shikhar Dhawan, is charged with the responsibility of changing the fortunes of the team. With his temperament and planning skills, Iyer's leadership skills were set in motion during his time with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), which guided the team to the playoffs in 2021. He does, however, have another challenge at Punjab Kings, which has been deeply criticized for not taking off and becoming consistent.

We have a good set of batsmen, and I'm looking to lead them with my experience. We'll play hard cricket, play according to our strength, and play it by ear as we go along. All of them are big games, and Gujarat Titans is a very good side. It will be an experience to see how we react under pressure," said Iyer at the pre-match presser.

Punjab Kings have brought in some new faces in the current season, with the hope that some of the newness would be infused into the team. Their bowling core led by Kagiso Rabada and Arshdeep Singh, and hard-hitting by Glenn maxwell and Shreyas Iyer is a good blend of experience and newness. Iyer's job will be to get his players to their optimal level and discover a winning combination.

In contrast, Gujarat Titans are coming into this match with great enthusiasm. Gujarat had won the title in their maiden season(2022) and since then have been one of the best teams in the league because of a well team and wise leadership. The Titans will attempt to take their winning formula and make an impression on this year's opener.

It is a maiden opportunity for Iyer to establish himself as the leader and stand out as Punjab Kings' captain. For the record crowd turn-out at the Gujarat stadium by fans keen to see him play, the game is maybe laying down a marker for things to come later in the season ahead.

The Punjab Kings Gujarat Titans IPL game will be an opener, at the IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali, where both the teams will leave everything on the field to give their best performance in what is going to be a true edge-of-the-seat experience.