IPL 2025: Shreyas Iyer Fired Up After Missing Out on India vs England Test Series - Ricky Ponting

Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer has been the talk of the cricketing world for all of the right reasons this time having led the team to the IPL 2025 final, which is their first final appearance in 11 years. With PBKS facing the Mumbai Indians in Qualifier 2 and needing 204 to win, Shreyas slammed an unbeaten 87 to take his team into the final. 

His excellent form in recent times has prompted plenty of talk over his spot in the India squad. He is a regular in ODIs but has missed out lately in Tests and T20Is. 

Virat Kohli's retirement from Tests led to speculation that Shreyas would be recalled for the India vs England series but that did not happen, which left PBKS head coach Ricky Ponting surprised. 

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Ponting Praises Iyer's Recent Form

Ponting said that a lot of players have shown form similar to what Iyer has and got picked, whereas the Mumbai batter missed out. 

“Certain other players that have been picked in that (Test) squad have done it on the back of good first-class cricket and good IPL seasons leading up to that selection and Shreyas has done absolutely everything the same as some of those other players," Ponting told The ICC Review podcast.

Ponting has a point, as the likes of Sai Sudharsan impressed in the IPL as well as domestically and thus ended up getting the nod for the England tour. 

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Iyer's Form Linked to Snub?

But the former Australia captain believes missing out on the India call-up helped keep him motivated for the IPL 2025 playoffs.

"So I was disappointed that he didn't get picked as I actually felt that he would get picked. But he didn’t. And I think that probably makes him a little bit hungrier for us when these playoff games come around.”

Iyer has become the first captain in the history of the tournament to lead three teams to an IPL final - Delhi Capitals, Kolkata Knight Riders and now Punjab Kings.