The BCCI has released its list of annual player contracts, with the headline being the inclusion of Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan in Grade B and C respectively. While Suryakumar Yadav remains in Grade B despite being named T20I captain, there were no major promotions or demotions in the other categories. Interestingly, there are 19 players in Grade C this year, with five new additions including Harshit Rana and Varun Chakaravarthy.
Shreyas Iyer returns to the BCCI's central contract list after a year of absence due to a fallout with the selection committee. Along with him, newcomers Varun Chakaravarthy, Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Abhishek Sharma make their debut on the list. These changes come after Team India's successful run at the 2025 Champions Trophy, where Iyer emerged as the top scorer. Other notable names include Ishan Kishan who gets a Grade C contract, and MS Dhoni hinting at bringing in younger players in the next IPL season.
Punjab Kings were on a roll as they relentlessly scored runs against Sunrisers Hyderabad, with Prabhsimran Singh and Shreyas Iyer leading the charge with big hits. However, Harshal Patel emerged as the unlikely hero, taking four crucial wickets to stop Punjab's charge and give hope to SRH. His deceptive slower ones did the trick as he outfoxed the opposition batsmen and displayed his calmness under pressure. With this performance, he won over the SRH fans and helped his team limit Punjab to 198/6 in their 20 overs.
After leading the Indian cricket team to victory in the ICC Champions Trophy, Virat Kohli has announced his next big goal - winning the ODI World Cup in 2027. Amid speculation about his potential retirement, Kohli made it clear that he is not looking to slow down anytime soon. Meanwhile, other Indian players, including Rohit Sharma and Shreyas Iyer, are set to retain their A+ grade contracts.
In a high-scoring Indian Premier League match, Shreyas Iyer's unbeaten 97 and Shashank Singh's quickfire 44 helped Punjab Kings post a massive total of 243 for 5. Despite some strong batting performances from Gujarat Titans, including Sai Sudharsan's 74 and Jos Buttler's 54, they fell short of the target by 11 runs. This win keeps Punjab Kings in the race for a playoff spot in the tournament.
New skipper Shreyas Iyer put on a masterclass with his unbeaten 97 runs, while support from Shashank Singh and Vijaykumar Vyshak helped Punjab Kings secure a thrilling 11-run victory against Gujarat Titans in their opening match of IPL 2025. Despite a strong effort from the Titans, Iyer and his team's powerplay performance and dominant middle overs, led by Sai Kishore, ultimately clinched the game for PBKS at the death. The match was a showcase of young batting talent, with Priyansh Arya making an impressive debut with 42 runs in the powerplay and Shreyas Iyer displaying his prowess with an explosive half-century.
Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell's recent golden duck against Gujarat Titans in the IPL 2025 match not only led to his team Punjab Kings' defeat, but also made him the batsman with most "zeros" in the league. Maxwell has 19 ducks to his name in 135 IPL matches, followed by Indian cricketers Rohit Sharma and Dinesh Karthik with 18 ducks each. Meanwhile, PBKS's top performer in the match, Shreyas Iyer, remained unbeaten on 97 runs and added 57 runs with Marcus Stoinis for the fifth wicket after Maxwell's early dismissal.
In the fifth match of the Indian Premier League 2025 season, PBKS batting sensation Shashank Singh put on a show against GT, scoring an unbeaten 44 runs off 16 balls. He smashed five fours in the last over, helping his team post a massive total. Despite skipper Shreyas Iyer scoring 97* off 42 balls, it was Shashank's cameo that sealed the win for PBKS. Retained for ₹5.5 crore ahead of the mega-auction, Shashank has already proven to be a valuable asset for Punjab and expressed his gratitude to the team management for backing his attacking game.
The IPL continues to be a high-scoring affair with yet another run-fest as new franchise Punjab Kings defeat Gujarat Titans by 11 runs. Led by Shreyas Iyer's unbeaten 97 off just 42 balls, Punjab Kings set a daunting target of 244. Despite the strong bowling attack of Gujarat Titans, Iyer's exceptional batting performance guided his team to victory in the season-opener. This win marks Iyer's strong start as the new captain of Punjab Kings and solidifies his prowess in white-ball cricket.
Shubman Gill, India's vice-captain, has praised the current Indian batting line-up with the likes of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. He believes that it is the best set-up he has been a part of. The team's consistent batting performance since 2022 has helped them reach the finals of consecutive ICC tournaments - the 2023 World Cup and the ongoing 2025 Champions Trophy. Along with the experienced batsmen, the team also has quality young players like KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, and Shreyas Iyer, creating a strong batting depth. Gill has also taken on the responsibility of mentoring and motivating younger players in the team. As they gear up for the final against New Zealand, Gill talks about the upcoming game and the discussions on the pitch. Fans can stay updated on the Champions Trophy and track their favorite team's performance with the latest Points Table, Most Runs, and Most Wickets leaderboards.