Shreyas Iyer marked yet another landmark in his IPL captaincy journey on Sunday, becoming just the fifth player in the tournament’s history to captain a franchise in 100 matches. The Punjab Kings skipper reached the milestone during the IPL 2026 encounter against Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium, placing him among the most decorated leadership names the league has seen.
Iyer joins an elite group of IPL captains
Before Iyer, only MS Dhoni, Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma had crossed the three-figure mark for IPL captaincy appearances. The new status cements Iyer’s standing as a leader who has consistently been trusted with the responsibility across different franchise cycles.
The 31-year-old has built his captaincy resume over three teams—Delhi Capitals, Kolkata Knight Riders and PBKS—showcasing both a tactical reputation and steady value as a captain in the league.
How Iyer’s captaincy record was built
- Iyer first took over as Delhi Capitals captain in 2018 and led the side in 41 matches, steering the team to their maiden IPL final in 2020.
- He later moved to Kolkata Knight Riders, captaining them in 29 games from 2022 to 2024.
- During his KKR stint, he helped end the franchise’s prolonged wait for a trophy by lifting the IPL title in 2024.
- His current stint with PBKS has already produced another finals appearance, taking his leadership footprint across three different teams that all reached the tournament final under his watch.
With his first 99 matches as skipper coming into Sunday’s game, Iyer had recorded 56 wins, including two victories via Super Over. He also faced 40 defeats and saw three matches end without a result. Across completed matches, his win rate stood at 58.3%, which matches Dhoni for the best win percentage by any captain in IPL history.
The 100-match milestone adds another layer to Iyer’s reputation as one of the most impactful captains of the modern IPL era, particularly given the varying squad profiles and transitional phases he has handled from franchise to franchise.
Punjab Kings’ season: bright starts, sharp mid-season dip
Iyer’s achievement also arrives as PBKS navigate an IPL 2026 campaign shaped by uneven momentum. The team began the season strongly, stringing together an unbeaten run of seven matches that included six wins, along with one fixture that was washed out.
However, the middle portion of the tournament brought a sudden downturn. PBKS suffered five straight losses, leaving their playoff chances hanging in the balance despite the high start.
Even with the inconsistency, the season has served as another reminder of how rapidly Iyer’s leadership journey has evolved. Whether it was rebuilding Delhi into contenders, helping restore KKR’s title-winning standards, or now attempting to revive PBKS, the Mumbai batter continues to carve out a distinct legacy as one of the league’s standout captains.
At the top of the all-time captaincy list remains Dhoni, who captained Chennai Super Kings and Rising Pune Supergiant across 235 IPL matches between 2008 and 2025.
