While Rajat Patidar aims to lead royal challengers Bengaluru in their title IPL, Shreyas Iyer stands on his way, as he did in the final of the Syed Mushtaq Ali trophy in December.
It was not until December that Rajat Patidar led Madhya Pradesh to the final of the Syed Mushtaq Ali trophy. It was only the second time in 14 years that MP had reached the final of the BCCI National T20 Tournament. But Mumbai de Shreyas Iyer broke his heart. As the fate would do, Iyer stands on his way while Patidar leads the royal Challengers Bengaluru in the 2025 final. RCB has never won the title.
While Captain Iyer has already faced Captain Patidar three times in IPL 2025, with RCB winning twice, in particular by inflicting a total humiliation of 101 points on the Punjab, a final is different. Iyer is more experienced at the top of a team and has already played two IPL finals, raising the title with Kolkata Knight Riders last season. For patidar, it is an unknown territory. This is his first IPL final and he knows the difference.
“I saw Shreyas in the morning and I told him that it looked like the final of the Syed Mushtaq Ali trophy. The difference is that it is the IPL final, and it was the Mushtaq Ali final”, ” Patidar said at the press conference before the IPL final.
‘Half Job done’
Few people have given the kings of Punjab a chance when the IPL started. PBKS has undergone another major overhaul with a new coach, a new captain and almost a new team. But Captain Iyer and coach Ricky Ponting did things after years of disappointment. Now, after 11 years, they are in another final. But to Iyer, the work is only half finished. Only a few hours after conducting his team in the IPL 2025 final, Iyer attended the press conference with barely four hours of sleep.
“After the victory over Mumbai, I felt as if my work was only half. Iyer said.
Although little outside RCB enemies will be rooted so that Punjab Kings wins the title IPL, to Iyer, it is a question of proving a point. He did not get any credit for managing Kolkata Knight Riders in title IPL last season. All the credits went to the Mentor Gautam Gambir. His striker did not have the sparks either. But this season, he is the top scorer in Pbks. He played one of the best IPL qualifying series, marking an undefeated 87 in the qualifier 2.
He was a T20 discard. But now many want him to captain India in T20is and also in the ODIs. With his enviable record in Ahmedabad, Shreyas Iyer will launch another offer during an IPL title with Ponting. And if he wins, he can join the Ms Dhoni and Rohit Sharma League.
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