While many expressed surprise over Iyer not being retained by KKR, the right-handed batter has gone about his business as the PBKS\u2019 skipper with his usual sharp and thoughtful demeanour, resulting in the side winning five out of eight IPL 2025 games so far.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
It also helps Iyer\u2019s cause of leading PBKS with aplomb that he has scored 238 runs as the number three batter in four away matches this season, with the strike-rate standing at a massive 201.69.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
RP Singh, the former India left-arm fast-bowler, feels Iyer\u2019s shift from being KKR\u2019s winning captain last year to playing against them as the PBKS skipper at the Eden Gardens will hold huge importance when the two sides clash in a crunch Saturday evening game.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cThe Punjab Kings-Kolkata Knight Riders is a pretty important game of this week\u2019s fixtures as Punjab defended a very small total last time through great bowling (in New Chandigarh). It looked like KKR would be dominant, but their form hasn\u2019t been that great.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cSaturday\u2019s match also becomes more important because the winning captain of KKR last year is the captain of Punjab right now, which is Shreyas Iyer. So somewhere, that also holds a huge importance in this upcoming match,\u201d said Singh, a JioStar expert, to IANS in a virtual interaction on Friday, on the sidelines of \u2018Revenge Week\u2019.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
In PBKS\u2019 solid defence of a paltry 111, the lowest score defended in the IPL, it was Iyer\u2019s captaincy, tight field settings and timely rotation of bowlers that really stood out in outsmarting KKR at its first home turf, the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Under his leadership, senior leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal regained form by picking a stunning four-fer to skittle KKR for just 95. That match also saw left-arm pacer Marco Jansen sizzle with 3-17 while Arshdeep Singh, the leading wicket-taker for PBKS so far, held one end firmly with 1-11 in his three overs.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The KKR-PBKS clash likely to be played on the pitch where Gujarat Titans (GT) made 193 and outclassed the defending champions 39 runs. Iyer and his star bowlers \u2013 via Jansen\u2019s intimidating bounce, Arshdeep\u2019s sharp swing, and Chahal\u2019s crafty flight and loop \u2013 would be eager to make a strong statement once again against the Ajinkya Rahane-led side, this time at the Eden Gardens.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cIt also depends on which wicket they are playing as because nowadays even the wickets on the same ground behave differently and the dew factor is also becoming important. Marco Jansen and Arshdeep Singh are very important players due to their performances.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cAs soon as they take wickets with the new ball, it pressurises the opposition. There\u2019s also Chahal to put in another match-winning performance, but the importance of medium pacers is going to be more because they bowl in power-play, and the team that performs better in powerplay in terms of bowling and batting, they will have an upper edge,\u201d concluded Singh.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cIt also depends on which wicket they are playing as because nowadays even the wickets on the same ground behave differently and the dew factor is also becoming important. Marco Jansen and Arshdeep Singh are very important players due to their performances.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Also Read: <\/b> LIVE Cricket Score<\/a><\/p>\r\n\r\n