Is Shreyas Iyer Blaming Gautam Gambhir for Lack of Recognition After IPL 2024 Win?

In the Champions Trophy 2025, Shreyas Iyer played a crucial role in India’s victory, stepping up in key moments, especially after early wickets in the final against New Zealand. Across five matches, the 30-year-old scored 243 runs, with a top score of 79 in a group-stage match. Despite his outstanding performance, Shreyas admitted that he did not receive the recognition he expected after leading Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to their third IPL title in 2024.

Although he captained KKR to glory, the franchise did not retain him. However, he became the most expensive buy in the IPL 2025 mega-auction, with Punjab Kings (PBKS) acquiring him for ₹26.75 crore. Now, he will lead PBKS in the upcoming IPL season. On this, he said:

Frustration toh nahi tha because I was playing IPL. The major focus was to win the IPL, and thankfully, I won it. I personally felt I didn’t get the recognition I wanted to after winning the IPL, but at the end of the day, as long as you have self-integrity and you keep doing the right things when no one is watching, that is more important, and that is what I kept doing. When I talk about recognition, it’s about getting that respect. It was about the respect for whatever efforts I put on the field. I think sometimes it gets unnoticed, but extremely satisfied with the efforts I put in because they weren’t easy wickets to bat on.

Reflecting on his journey, Shreyas acknowledged that he had to reassess his game and fitness after being dropped from BCCI’s central contract list. He focused on domestic cricket to regain form, which eventually led to his Champions Trophy success. Despite feeling that his leadership contributions sometimes go unnoticed, Shreyas remains satisfied with his efforts and performances. With a fresh start as Punjab Kings’ captain, he aims to prove himself once again in IPL 2025.