Shreyas Iyer has expressed his ambition to cement himself as Kolkata Knight Riders' No. 3 batsman in IPL 2025

Shreyas Iyer, the newly appointed captain of Punjab Kings, has made it clear that he wants to cement his place at No. 3 in IPL 2025. Having played a crucial role at No. 4 in India's Champions Trophy-winning campaign and leading Kolkata Knight Riders to the IPL 2024 title while batting in various middle-order roles, Iyer now aims to take on a more defined role for Punjab Kings. "We already know that IPL is an integral part of Indian cricket," Iyer said during a press conference. "And if I would want to mark myself at some position in T20s, it would be No. 3. This time, I’m quite clear about that position, and I’m going to be focusing on that number—as long as the coach approves of me." Iyer’s preference for No. 3 suggests that Punjab Kings might build their batting order around him, allowing him to control the innings while explosive hitters like Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma, and Shashank Singh take charge in the latter stages. Shreyas Iyer will reunite with head coach Ricky Ponting at Punjab Kings (PBKS) after their successful stint together at Delhi Capitals, where they guided the team to the playoffs from 2019 to 2021, including a runner-up finish in 2020. PBKS made a huge investment in Iyer, securing him for INR 26.75 crore (USD 3.18 million approx), making him the second-most expensive player in IPL auction history. Ponting was clear about wanting Iyer to lead the team. "If you look back at the auction, I think it was pretty clear to everyone who I wanted as my captain," Ponting said. "And we got what we wanted. I was desperate to work with Shreyas again. We had a great working relationship at Delhi over a long period of time. He's one of the best players that I've worked with. He's a great human being. He's an IPL-winning captain. You couldn't ask for much more." Iyer's leadership experience, combined with Ponting's aggressive coaching style, could provide PBKS with the stability they lacked in IPL 2024, where they managed just one home win across Mullanpur and Dharamsala, finishing second from bottom. Ponting emphasized the need to turn their home ground into a fortress. "What I understand is that if you are not winning at home, you are not winning the IPL," he said. "It's one of the main reasons that I'm sitting here now. I wanted a really strong coaching challenge. And we've got that. But there's no pressure on us. What have we got to lose? "We're going to go out and play a really dynamic and entertaining brand of cricket. And I know we've got the players that can do that." With Iyer at No. 3 and a fresh mindset under Ponting, PBKS will be looking to break their playoff drought and challenge for their maiden IPL title.