GT vs PBKS: Shreyas Iyer goals to construct on captaincy credentials as Punjab Kings open towards Gujarat Titans in IPL 2025

Skipper Shreyas Iyer will lean on his captaincy credentials as he appears to be like to show across the fortunes of perennial underperformers Punjab Kings on this IPL, opening the season with a conflict towards Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad on Tuesday (March 25, 2025).

Iyer loved large success main Kolkata Knight Riders to the IPL title final 12 months, 4 years after guiding Delhi Capitals to the 2020 IPL ultimate, and now faces the problem of ending Punjab’s 18-year-long wait for his or her maiden IPL title.

The Punjab group reached the semifinals in 2018 and made it to the ultimate as soon as in 2014, however regardless of quite a few squad adjustments and management shifts, they’ve failed to interrupt into the highest 5 within the final 4 editions, even after rebranding to Punjab Kings from Kings XI Punjab.

Nonetheless, with Iyer on the helm, Punjab has a captain with confirmed management credentials. He can even reunite with coach Ricky Ponting at Punjab, offering the perfect platform to make a contemporary begin.

However, Shubman Gill, who’s the vice-captain of India’s ODI group, endured a troublesome season as GT captain, with the group ending in eighth spot in 2024 after a title win and runner-up finishes in 2022 and 2023 underneath Hardik Pandya.

Each Gill and Iyer are in nice kind, having performed essential roles in India’s Champions Trophy-winning marketing campaign in Dubai earlier this month.

Iyer completed as India’s high run-scorer within the Champions Trophy with 243 runs in 5 video games, whereas Gill additionally struck a century within the opening match towards Bangladesh and contributed considerably to India’s triumph.

As for group dynamics, GT’s batting power will depend on a stable begin from Gill and England’s wicketkeeper-batter Jos Buttler, who can be trying to bounce again from latest poor kind.

The center-order can be within the palms of West Indian Sherfane Rutherford, Sai Sudharsan, and Masood Shahrukh Khan, with all-rounders Rashid Khan, Rahul Tewatia, Glenn Phillips, Washington Sundar, and Mahipal Lomror anticipated to contribute.

On the bowling entrance, Mohammed Siraj will look to make a big effect and return to the nationwide reckoning after lacking out of the Champions Trophy, whereas Kagiso Rabada, Prasidh Krishna, South African Gerald Coetzee, and veteran Ishant Sharma will present added firepower to GT’s tempo assault.

GT’s spin division can be led by Rashid Khan with left-arm spinner Sai Kishore offering invaluable assist.

Punjab Kings, however, will rely upon skipper Iyer, Josh Inglis, Prabhsimran Singh, Marcus Stoinis, and Glenn Maxwell for his or her batting. The Punjab outfit additionally boasts a powerful line-up of all-rounders in Azmatullah Omarzai, Stoinis, Marco Jansen, Shahank Singh, and Musheer Khan.

The tempo bowling division can be led by Arshdeep Singh, who can be itching to get again in motion after not getting a sport within the Champions trophy. He can have Lockie Ferguson, Kuldeep Sen, and Yash Thakur within the tempo unit, whereas leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal and left-arm spinner Harpreet Brar will hope for a profitable season.

Groups (from): Gujarat Giants: Shubman Gill (c), Anuj Rawat, Jos Buttler, Kumar Kushagra, Sherfane Rutherford, Sai Sudharsan, M Shahrukh Khan, Rashid Khan, Karim Janat, Mahipal Lomror, Glenn Phillips, Nishant Sindhu, Manav Suthar, Rahul Tewatia, Washington Sundar, Arshad Khan, Gerald Coetzee, Gurnoor Brar, Kulwant Khejroliya, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Kagiso Rabada, Sai Kishore, Ishant Sharma, Jayant Yadav.

Punjab Kings: Shreyas Iyer (c), Priyansh Arya, Pyla Avinash, Harnoor Singh, Josh Inglis, Prabhsimran Singh, Vishnu Vinod, Nehal Wadhera, Azmatullah Omarzai, Aaron Hardie, Marco Jansen, Glenn Maxwell, Musheer Khan, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Suryansh Shedge, Arshdeep Singh, Xavier Bartlett, Yuzvendra Chahal, Praveen Dubey, Lockie Ferguson, Harpreet Brar, Kuldeep Sen, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Yash Thakur.