‘Shreyas Iyer has immense self-confidence’: Siddhesh Lad recalls Punjab Kings captain’s selfless gesture in maiden first-class season | Cricket News

Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer and Shashank Singh. (PTI Photo) Punjab Kings (PBKS) captain Shreyas Iyer has garnered widespread praise following his unbeaten 97 in PBKS’ IPL 2025 opener against Gujarat Titans (GT). While his knock — his highest score in the tournament — showcased his exceptional batting prowess, what stood out was his selfless attitude, a quality that has been a hallmark of his career. In the final over, Shreyas had the chance to reach his maiden IPL century, but instead, he urged Shashank Singh to focus solely on maximising the team’s total rather than helping him reach the milestone. His gesture epitomised team-first leadership, earning admiration from fans and former cricketers alike. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!This quality is not new for Shreyas, as Mumbai cricketer Siddhesh Lad recalled an anecdote from the 2014/15 Ranji Trophy season, when Shreyas was in his debut first-class season. “Shreyas has immense self-confidence. Mumbai were facing Bengal at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens in a Ranji Trophy match back in the 2014/15 season of the tournament, which marked Shreyas’ maiden first-class season. The Bengal bowling attack was quite impressive and formidable in nature. In such a situation, the team needed a cricketer to step up and bat at the number three position. Shreyas volunteered to take up the responsibility despite being unfamiliar with the role, having batted at the number four and number five positions till that point,” Lad said in an exclusive interaction with TimesofIndia.com.PBKS in IPL 2025: Punjab Kings seek first title under new leadership”Shreyas went out and smashed 153 runs off 175 balls, showcasing initiative and desire to assist the team in the best way possible irrespective of the sternest of circumstances,” he added.Former Mumbai Indians (MI) batter Aditya Tare, who played alongside Shreyas for Mumbai, echoed similar sentiments. “Shreyas has always been a cricketer who is aggressive in his approach and eager to deliver the goods. I distinctly remember a Ranji Trophy match against Madhya Pradesh where I was a little tense about the eventual target. Shreyas came to me and said, ‘Don’t worry. We will chase down whatever is necessary to pull off a win’,” Tare recalled. Shreyas’ childhood coach Pravin Amre emphasised that his approach has always been one of intent and adaptability, making him an ideal T20 cricketer. “T20 cricket is anyway a format which has always suited him, considering his approach which is full of intent,” said Amre.Vyshak Vijaykumar reveals how Shreyas Iyer and Arshdeep Singh backed his ‘wide yorkers’ planA source close to Shreyas revealed that his non-selection in the BCCI central contracts list has only fueled his determination. “Shreyas has worked on his gameplay while facing short deliveries and improved even further as an overall cricketer. He practices for just one or two hours but those hours are very efficiently utilised,” revealed the source.Get the latest IPL 2025 updates on Times of India, including match schedules, team squads, points table and IPL live score for CSK, MI, RCB, KKR, SRH, LSG, DC, GT, PBKS, and RR. Don’t miss the list of players in the race for IPL Orange Cap and IPL Purple cap.