Why Shreyas Iyer loves proving his critics wrong

Punjab Kings’ influential skipper Shreyas Iyer mostly lets his bat do the talking, even as experts debate on whether he should be re-inducted into India’s T20 side, or if he should be captaining the Indian ODI side, given his remarkable record in leading teams to success.

Take for instance his record in the IPL. The dashing middle-order batter led Kolkata Knight Riders to the title in 2024. Besides that, he has taken Delhi Capitals and Punjab Kings to the final and has the best win percentage among all captains in IPL history including Chennai Super Kings’ MS Dhoni and Mumbai Indians’ Rohit Sharma.

He leads from the front as a batter, as evidenced by his remarkable 604 runs for Punjab Kings in their run to the final in last season’s IPL. And he is not doing too badly this season either with 279 runs in 7 unbeaten matches so far at an average touching 70 with a strike rate of 186. Besides his batting, his calm demeanor under pressure and his tactical acumen haven’t gone unnoticed either.

But things haven’t always looked so rosy for the 31-year-old batting star. Speaking on JioStar on the eve of their match against Rajasthan Royals, Iyer, who was a ball boy during the 2008 IPL, said doubts over his ability to handle the short ball acted as a turning point in his career.

"People said I would never fix my short-ball problem. That triggered me. I wanted to prove them wrong by performing well. So, I worked hard on it," he said.

The Punjab Kings’ skipper explained that he has adopted a more aggressive approach to such deliveries. "Earlier, I would just take a single or try to keep the ball down. But now my mindset has changed. If I see a short ball in my zone, I am going to hit it for a six," he added.

Iyer also spoke about his constant drive to prove naysayers wrong. "I have people around me who say that in this situation, you can't do it. It's impossible. I don't like hearing that. As a cricketer playing at the highest level, I just can't accept it. Then, in my mind, I decide that I have to prove them wrong. The challenge becomes: 'I was in this situation, how can I come back stronger?' I push myself harder and try to return as soon as possible to prove them wrong," Iyer said, adding, "That thought keeps driving me, especially after injuries. When I had my back injury, some people said I would never be the same again. I asked myself, why can't I be? The way you shape your mindset after an injury is important. You choose what to focus on and what to ignore."

Speaking about handling pressure and bouncing back from tough phases, Iyer said maturity comes from experiences beyond the game.

"Maturity as a cricketer comes from learning outside the field – facing rejections and losing games. As a kid, during my matches and selection trials, I faced many difficult moments. Ups and downs are part of everyone's life," he said.

The dashing batter emphasised the importance of mental strength and positive self-talk in overcoming challenges. "The faster you bounce back from tough times and turn them into positives, the better. Self-talk matters a lot. People will always try to pull you down, but how you pick yourself up is what counts," he added.

Iyer also revealed that he consciously takes time away from cricket to maintain balance and clarity. "Sometimes I read books that make me feel good. I try to shift my mind away from cricket. I go on a holiday and spend time alone. Letting go is very important," he said.

Highlighting the need to accept failures, Iyer said players must not get consumed by missed goals. "You set a goal and want to achieve it. But you also need to tell yourself that if it doesn't happen, it's fine. Accept it and move on. Otherwise, you keep thinking about what went wrong and fall further behind," he added.

With former Indian players like Sunil Gavaskar, R. Ashwin and Virender Sehwag, Punjab Kings’ Aussie head coach Ricky Ponting and South African legend AB de Villiers all showering praise on his remarkable ability to lead from the front, it wouldn’t be a surprise if Iyer’s Punjab Kings go one step further this season.