Who is the best IPL 2025 captain and why is Shreyas Iyer the answer?

Setbacks can make or break a person. In Shreyas Iyer’s case, it made him a genuine champion. Ever since he was dropped from the BCCI’s central contract, whatever Iyer touched turned into gold. He switched to domestic cricket and won the Ranji Trophy (23/24), Irani Cup and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. SMAT wasn’t the only T20 championship for him, as Iyer did the remarkable and took the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to their first IPL title in a decade.

This year, Iyer was already the X-factor in India’s historic ODI Champions Trophy 2025 triumph. Now, he is just two steps away from completing another history. The 30-year-old has a golden chance of becoming the first-ever captain to win two back-to-back IPL titles with two different teams. Yes, his Punjab Kings (PBKS) have not only qualified for the IPL 2025 playoffs but have also sealed a spot in Qualifier 1.

Superb batter, even better captain: Shreyas Iyer

That makes a case for Iyer to be called the best captain of the Indian Premier League 2025. Well, captaincy can be overrated sometimes. The adage “a captain is only as good as his team” can hold true in many cases. For Iyer, it may be a suited one as well. But you cannot take anything away from Iyer’s leadership. There was a reason why PBKS were ready to splash out almost INR 27 crore to acquire his services. He may not be the best T20 batter ever, but what Iyer provides is something not many can boast of.

He doesn’t go overboard. or remain tight-lipped. The Mumbai-born doesn’t slam his chest in a moment of jubilation and elation. Rather, Iyer remains level-headed and goes about his business in a practical way. While the association with Ricky Ponting has definitely helped, Iyer has been a terrific leader, to say the least.

Best IPL 2025 captain for a reason

The guy, who has been waiting for his T20 international return, demoted himself in an attempt to strengthen his side’s potential as a batting unit. He gave Josh Inglis a chance to shine and go hammer and tongs at number three, a slot Iyer has mastered. In the first 10 innings this season, Iyer batted at three and made a great 360 runs at 51.4 and at a terrific strike rate of 180.90.

Regardless, he moves himself to number four, knowing he can bash spinners on any given day. This allowed some stability in the middle order, and PBKS maximised the full potential out of Inglis, who recently played a match-winning knock against a potent MI bowling unit.

Shreyas Iyer at IPL 2025

Category	Runs	Innings	Average (Avg)	Strike Rate (S/R)
Overall	514	14	51.40	171.91
At No. 3	360	10	51.43	180.90
At No. 4	124	3	62.00	165.33

Also, Iyer backed Priyansh Arya from the get-go. A youngster who made a name for himself at the Delhi Premier League T20, Arya needed the backing, and that is what he truly got. Now, PBKS are reaping the rewards as Arya has mustered 424 runs at an insane SR of 183.54. Yes, Iyer has got a power-packed squad for IPL 2025, but to use his full resources to great effect makes Iyer a genuine captain.

Shreyas Iyer: Captain with a Midas Touch

Captain	Playoff Qualifications	Seasons as Captain	Percentage
Shreyas Iyer	5	6	83.3%
MS Dhoni	12	16	75%
Rohit Sharma	7	11	63.6%
Gautam Gambhir	5	7	71.4%
Virat Kohli	4	9	44.4%

Shreyas Iyer – Captain Fantastic

1. 2019: Delhi Capitals – Qualifier 2
2. 2020: Delhi Capitals – Final
3. 2021: Delhi Capitals – Qualifier 2
4. 2024: KKR – IPL Title Winner
5. 2025: Punjab Kings – Playoffs (Top-2 Finish)

Shreyas Iyer’s numbers are truly elite, with an impressive 83.3% playoff qualification rate as captain. He’s the first captain in IPL history to take three different teams into the playoffs, something that many captains can only dream about. Can anyone doubt his ability to punch above his weight?