Shreyas Iyer breaks silence, takes veiled dig at Gambhir: ‘Respect at Punjab Kings was missing at KKR’

Shreyas Iyer has rarely been shy of speaking his mind, and his latest comments clearly show the turbulence that shaped his journey from Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to Punjab Kings (PBKS). In an interview with GQ India, Iyer admitted that the “respect” and involvement he now enjoys at Punjab were missing during his stint at KKR. Despite clinching the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, there were reports that Gautam Gambhir (KKR’s mentor at that time) wasn’t on the same page with Iyer.

“I offer a lot as a captain and player. If I get respect, anything can be accomplished,” Iyer said to GQ India. “This is what happened at Punjab. They gave me all the support I needed, whether it was the coaches, management or players. I was in every meeting with the management and coaches, contributing strategically. This is something I love.”

Those huge words highlight how different the Indian superstar feels between his current environment at Punjab Kings and what he experienced at KKR, where despite captaining the side to an IPL title in 2024, he never felt fully part of the inner circle.

Exit from KKR still lingers

“I was part of the conversation but wasn’t completely in the mix. I’ve had to work my way up to get to the position I am in now,” Iyer revealed while speaking about KKR’s planning for the mega auctions.

His departure from Kolkata was shocking, especially since he had led them to their third IPL crown in 2024. Reports suggested a lack of alignment on retention terms, alongside differences on his role within the set-up, which coincided with Gautam Gambhir’s return as mentor. Iyer sat out the 2023 season due to a back injury and returned in 2024 to a restructured squad, but by the end of that year he was no longer part of KKR’s long-term plans.

Reinvention at PBKS for Shreyas Iyer

Punjab Kings broke the bank at the 2025 auction, signing Iyer for Rs 26.75 crore, and the investment nearly paid off instantly. It made him the second-most expensive player in IPL history after Rishabh Pant (Rs 27 cr). Iyer produced a stellar campaign, scoring 604 runs at an average of 50.3 and a strike rate of 175, while leading Punjab to the IPL final for the first time in a decade. His leadership was proactive, his batting authoritative, and his bond with coach Ricky Ponting rekindled the flair he had shown earlier in his career at Delhi Capitals (DC).

Though Punjab fell just six runs short of their maiden title against RCB, Iyer’s influence has transformed the side into genuine contenders.

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