Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer, who became India's highest run-scorer in the 2025 Champions Trophy, recently shared about a touching moment before the tournament, which was jointly hosted by Pakistan and Dubai.
In an honest interview with actress Sahiba Bali on one of the episodes of Kandid with Kings, Iyer confessed, "Last time I cried was during the first practice session of the 2025 Champions Trophy. Like I was, literally, crying because I was batting in the nets and was not able to bat properly. I got so angry at myself that I started to cry and I was also shocked because I don't cry easily."
He went on to explain that he had just come off a strong performance against England and expected to carry on in the same vein. But he found the practice conditions very demanding. "I played well in the series against England, so I felt that I would take the same rhythm with me, but the wickets were varied and to get used to on the first day itself was a tough job, so when the practice came to an end, I wanted to practice a bit more and I did not get the opportunity to do so, so I got upset," he continued.
Ignoring the bumpy begining, Iyer proceeded to excel during the tournament, with 243 runs in five matches. His spree included consecutive half-centuries in matches against Pakistan and New Zealand in the groups, and the match-winning 48-run in the final.
His hot streak landed him a place within the Champions Trophy's 'Team of the Tournament,' along with other Indian megastars like Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Mohammed Shami, and Varun Chakaravarthy.
In the IPL, Iyer's Punjab Kings made a flying start to the 2025 season with resounding victories against the Gujarat Titans and Lucknow Super Giants, before suffering their first setback at the hands of the Rajasthan Royals.
Commenting on the importance of a strong beginning in the IPL, Iyer stressed the momentum it generates and the need to remain humble. "The atmosphere is good. To have a good IPL season it is crucial that you have a wonderful first game and fortunately we began on a positive note. I believe when you begin on a positive note then the atmosphere in the camp is always upbeat and it will be reflected in subsequent games. Having said that it is also crucial to remain humble," he added.
Read also| Initially I was not able to digest being dropped from CT squad, Says Siraj
Read alos| Mohammed Shami's Sister and In-Laws Linked to MNREGA Fraud Scandal
