This team-first mentality has won widespread praise, with social media buzzing over Iyer's leadership
Rahane admitted KKR have struggled to find a successful opening pair and their combinations have been failing to make a dent.
India's T20 World Cup squad had space for only 15, but the pool of quality options ran far deeper. The consequence was inevitable: several players with genuine claims were left on the outside, the unlucky ones who narrowly missed the cut.
'I am at my best when my mindset for the game is right.'
The IPL 2026 auction is gearing up for a blockbuster showdown, with 350 players fighting for just 77 spots including 31 overseas berths in what promises to be one of the most competitive bidding wars yet.
Former Chennai Super Kings batter Suresh Raina believes the five-time IPL champions should look at buying the in-form Sarfaraz Khan at the auction on Tuesday.
KKR's new skipper Ajinkya Rahane has a great head on his shoulders, remains composed under pressure, and has been a stalwart of the game, says vice-captain Venkatesh Iyer.
Pace bowling all-rounders always come at a premium and therefore, the troika of Green, Venkatesh Iyer and West Indies' Jason Holder, all coming at the highest base price of Rs 2 crore (US$220,000), are set to headline the bidding war.
Vice-captain Vihaan Malhotra's exhilarating stroke-play was well complemented by Aaron George's composure as India set up an Under-19 Asia Cup summit date with arch-rivals Pakistan after crushing Sri Lanka by eight wickets in a rain-curtailed semi-final, in Dubai, on Friday.
Lucknow Super Giants skipper Rishabh Pant's woeful form with the bat and Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer's sublime touch have made Sunday's mid-table clash an engrossing contest -- one that could decisively shape the fortunes of either side as the IPL enters its business end.
Punjab Kings have come a long way in a matter of one season, so much so that co-owner Ness Wadia feels his 'settled' team doesn't even need to go into the IPL auction next month.
'Someone's not going to work doubly harder if he's getting Rs 20 plus crore or someone's not going to work less harder when he's getting one, two, three crore...'
"As this was his team's first offence of the season, under Article 2.22 of the IPL Code of Conduct, which pertains to minimum over-rate offences, Shreyas Iyer was fined Rs 12 Lakh," read an IPL media advisory on Thursday.
Punjab Kings' latest recruit Australian all-rounder Cooper Connolly prides himself on being versatile and is open to batting at any position the team deems fit in his maiden IPL season next year.
Cameron Green is tipped to surpass fellow-Australian Mitchell Starc (Rs 24.75 crore) and command the highest price by an overseas player but he won't take home more than Rs 18 crore.
Shreyas Iyer said that returning to an upright batting stance has helped him regain confidence and consistency, allowing him to adapt better to varied conditions at home and overseas.
Speaking about the 'lives' handed to lucky Abhishek Sharma who bludgeoned a 55-ball 143, Iyer said: 'We could have taken two exceptional catches.
Captain Shreyas Iyer is pleased that Punjab Kings displayed the right mindset after being put under the pump by aggressive Rajasthan Royals top-order batters.
'If we are being honest, Shreyas Iyer should be the captain in the upcoming T20 World Cup. His instinctive leadership mirrors a young Rohit Sharma.'
For most IPL teams, the 2026 mini auction will be all about strategic buys and role-specific additions, while for a couple of others, it is going to be a captain-centric affair.
Punjab Kings emerge as most-searched IPL team on Google in 2025
Ishan Kishan's return to the Indian T20 setup is a story of timing, perseverance and a domestic season that selectors simply could not overlook.
Sumit Nagal leaned on his vast experience to overcome the power game of Kites's Dhakshineswar Suresh in the tie-break and keep Eagles well on course for the World Tennis League final, in Bengaluru, on Thursday.
Fans have flooded social media with messages, wishing Shreyas a speedy recovery.
Virat Kohli moved up to No. 4 in the latest ICC rankings with a match-winning hundred against South Africa in the first ODI at Ranchi boosting his ascend.
After a record-breaking year, India's automobile industry is entering 2026 on a relatively strong footing, with sales growth expected in the 6-8 per cent range. The outlook is underpinned by policy support, including GST rationalisation, easing monetary conditions, and income tax relief, which together are likely to improve affordability and sustain consumer demand across vehicle segments.
The JioStar expert also analysed KKR's buys at the auction, saying that getting NZ all-rounder Rachin Ravindra at base price was smart and there is "serious batting power" in the squad.
Shreyas Iyer has overcome perceptions about his batting abilities and a difficult period in his career to establish himself as a key player in India's ODI team.
IMAGES from the Indian Premier League Qualifier 2 match played between Punjab Kings and Mumbai Indians in Ahmedabad, on Sunday.
Mumbai South Central Maratha Royals lifted the T20 Mumbai league title, beating Shreyas Iyer-led SoBo Mumbai Falcons by five wickets at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Thursday.
When Iyer managed just 9 runs across his first two games in IPL 2025-and didn't even get to bat in the second-questions began to surface. Was he worth the money?
PBKS skipper Shreyas Iyer said the team was getting good starts but was failing to convert them into big scores. He added that the slow home wicket too did not help the team's cause.
Shreyas Iyer described India's six-wicket victory over Pakistan in the Champions Trophy as "sweet" because it came against a competitive team and involved warding off a lot of "external pressures." Iyer also praised Virat Kohli's fluent century and the team's spin attack for their performance in the match.
Shardul Thakur will lead Mumbai in the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy. The 17-member squad includes India T20I skipper Suryakumar Yadav, Sarfaraz Khan and Shivam Dube.
Seasoned South African opener Quinton de Kock returned to his old base Mumbai Indians for a base price of Rs 1 crore.
Mhatre's maiden ton, Dube blitz fire Mumbai to seven-wicket win over Vidarbha
While the white-ball trophy cabinet kept getting heavier, Team India's fortunes in Test cricket swung wildly between hope and despair in 2025.
While big buys grabbed attention, several franchises quietly walked away with proven performers at throwaway prices -- the kind of signings that often make the difference between mid-table finishes and title runs.
Bihar's teen sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi, aged just 14, blasted an 84-ball 190 to become the youngest List-A centurion ever. His captain Sakibul Gani, then upstaged him with a 40-ball 128 not out -- the fastest List-A century by an Indian.
IPL Auction 2026 was not just about money; it was a celebration of ambition, opportunity, and the unrelenting belief that the next big star could come from anywhere.
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