Kumar Sangakkara
MS Dhoni
Sanju Samson
Hashim Amla
Mahela Jayawardene
Marnus Labuschagne
Paul Stirling
Sarfaraz Khan
Andrew Flintoff
Shreyas Iyer is a polished, pressure-proof batter who loves the big stage. He settles shaky chases, flips tight games with clean hitting and leads with calm authority. From Mumbai’s school fields to full houses in the IPL and for India, he has built a reputation as a middle-order aggressive batter and a stylish stroke-maker with a captain’s mindset.
In latest news, Iyer’s omission from India’s Asia Cup 2025 squad raised eyebrows as his outstanding IPL 2025 run as Punjab Kings captain and his form in India’s Champions Trophy 2025 led to his supporters bashing the team management.
Shreyas Santosh Iyer was born on December 6, 1994, in Chembur, a busy suburb of Mumbai. He is now 30 years old. A right-handed middle-order batter, Iyer has become an important name in Indian cricket. He comes from a city that has given Indian cricket many great names. Iyer followed the same path and made cricket a part of his routine and showed signs of talent from a young age.
He started to be known for scoring runs consistently in domestic cricket while playing for Mumbai. He also developed into a natural leader over time. His leadership in the IPL brought out that side of his game. He scored important runs and also guided teams through tough situations.
Iyer’s batting blends timing and range. He drives on the rise, attacks spin with footwork and shifts gears without fuss. Early in age-group cricket, teammates even likened him to Virender Sehwag and the "Young Viru" tag followed.
Shreyas Iyer comes from a close-knit family in Mumbai. His father, Santosh Iyer, is a Tamilian with roots in Kerala. His mother, Rohini Iyer, is from a Tuluva family in Mangalore. Together, they gave him the kind of steady home that helped him stay focused on cricket from a young age. Iyer has often spoken about how important that support has been in shaping his career.
He also shares a warm bond with his sister, Shresta Iyer. She chose a very different path and became a dancer. Shresta has built her own following on social media platforms, where her performances are widely appreciated.
Shreyas Iyer even has a short documentary made on him called "A Father’s Dream". The title itself shows how important his father, Santosh Iyer, has been in his journey. Santosh had played cricket till his college days but never took it further. When he saw the spark in his son, he wanted him to live the dream he could not chase.
In one of his interviews, Santosh recalled that he first noticed Shreyas’ talent when the boy was only four. From then on, he encouraged him to take the game seriously. Soon after, Shreyas was enrolled in one of Mumbai’s best cricket academies. On the advice of coach Pravin Amre, Santosh even shifted him to Don Bosco school so that he could play competitive cricket and get more chances to grow.
The journey was not always smooth. During his Under-16 days, Shreyas suddenly lost form. His father feared that he might have been distracted. To be sure, he took him to a psychologist. The result came as a relief. There was nothing wrong. Shreyas was simply going through a rough phase that every player faces at some point
Shreyas Iyer's father used to take him from their home in Worli to the Shivaji Park Gymkhana. That ground has produced many cricketers for Mumbai and India. At the academy, Shreyas came under the eyes of coaches Pravin Amre, Padmakar Shivalkar and Sandesh Kawle. They spotted his talent when he was just 11.
There, he began to improve quickly. The real push came a little later. Vinod Raghavan, who was Mumbai’s Under-19 coach in the 2013-14 season, had a big hand in shaping his path. It was Raghavan who backed Shreyas and handed him the captaincy of the Mumbai U-19 team. That faith gave him both confidence and responsibility at a young age.
Shreyas made his first-class debut in 2014 and scored 1,321 runs in the Ranji Trophy 2015-16, the most by a batter that season.
Shreyas Iyer entered the IPL in 2015 with Delhi Capitals, then known as Delhi Daredevils. He won the Emerging Player award that year. Shreyas became Delhi Capitals’ captain in 2018. He took the franchise to multiple playoffs.
Iyer moved to Kolkata Knight Riders in 2022 and captained KKR to the IPL title in the 2024 season. However, despite winning the trophy, he did not stay with KKR and was released.
At the 2025 mega auction, Punjab Kings bought him for an IPL price of INR 26.75 crore and named him the captain. His IPL 2025 run with PBKS was iconic. He smashed 605 runs in the season at an average of 50.33 and a strike-rate of 175.07. He took Punjab Kings to their first IPL final in over a decade that they lost to Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Because of his heroics, Punjab Kings fans gave him the nickname 'Sarpanch'.
Shreyas Iyer holds a rare record in the IPL. He is the first Indian captain to take three different teams to the final - Delhi Capitals (2020), Kolkata Knight Riders (2024) and Punjab Kings (2025). Few leaders in the league have managed such consistency.
In Indian Premier League 2025, he guided Punjab Kings to the final. During the season, he also won his 50th IPL match as captain. Only four others have reached that milestone, which puts him in a very small group of successful leaders in the tournament’s history, including MS Dhoni, Rohit Sharma, Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli.
Shreyas Iyer made his India debut in limited-overs cricket in 2017. His T20I debut came in November 2017 against New Zealand. In the following month, he debuted in the ODI format versus Sri Lanka. He was particularly impressive in the 50-over format and was once in contention to get picked for the 2019 ODI World Cup but could make the cut in the end.
Iyer earned his maiden Test cap in November 2021 versus New Zealand at Kanpur in November 2021. He scored a century on debut and a fifty in the second innings, showing that he belongs to the big stage.
The right-hander was part of India’s Champions Trophy 2025 winning squad. He was the highest-scorer for India with 243 runs in five matches. He scored half-centuries versus Pakistan and New Zealand in the group stage and his 40s in the semi-final and the final were equally important.
His form at the international level has also been recognised by the ICC. He was named Men’s Player of the Month in February 2022. He won the same award again in March 2025 during a period when he was among the top run-getters for India.
Shreyas Iyer is unmarried. He keeps his private life low-key and there is no confirmed public information about a girlfriend. Searches linking his name with Dhanashree Verma have floated online in the past, mainly due to social media chatter, but there is no reliable confirmation of any relationship.
Shreyas Iyer is known for his love for animals. He often shares pictures and moments with pets on social media. Another special chapter in his journey is the documentary "A Father’s Dream". It tells the story of how his father, Santosh Iyer, supported him from a young age and guided him towards cricket. It shows the sacrifices made by the family and the belief his father had in his talent.
Instagram: @shreyasiyer96
Twitter/X: @ShreyasIyer15
Shreyas Iyer has struggled with a recurring back problem for the past few years. In April 2023, he had to undergo surgery after a back issue that flared up during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2023. After months of recovery, he made his comeback in the Indian team for the Asia Cup and the World Cup later that year.
At the start of 2024, he again suffered back spasms, which forced him out of the Test series against England. However, he returned strongly in the IPL, leading KKR to the title.
Iyer’s omission from the Asia Cup 2025 squad created a lot of noise after he led Punjab Kings to the IPL 2025 final. Fans felt his form warranted selection and his father, Santosh Iyer, voiced disappointment, saying Shreyas had worked hard to return and deserved a chance.
Shreyas Iyer’s net worth is estimated at around INR 65 crore. His earnings come from the BCCI contract, IPL salary, match fees and brand endorsements. A big chunk of it is his INR 26.75 crore deal with Punjab Kings that was signed at IPL 2025 auction. Along with that, his Grade B BCCI central with an annual salary of INR 3 crore adds steady income to his profile.
Shreyas Iyer has collected several awards in his cricket career. He was named the Emerging Player of the Season in IPL 2015 for his performance for Delhi Daredevils. He won the CEAT Domestic Cricketer of the Year award in 2016.
Shreyas Iyer’s awards include two ICC Men’s Player of the Month honors in February 2022 and March 2025. He earned recognition for his captaincy with 50 IPL wins and also became the first skipper to lead three different IPL teams to finals.
Shreyas Iyer often feeds and cares for stray dogs near his home.
He was the 16th Indian to score a century on Test debut, against New Zealand.
His teammates once nicknamed him "young Viru" for his bold batting style.
His early cricket journey is featured in the documentary "A Father’s Dream."
A: Shreyas Iyer was born on 06 December, 1994.
A: Shreyas Iyer is 30 years old.
A: Shreyas Iyer is a cricketer who plays as a Batter for India D, India, Mumbai and SOBO Mumbai Falcons.
A: No, Shreyas Iyer will not play today since there is no game scheduled for any of the teams, he is a part of currently.
A: It is an internet rumour that surfaced from social media. No credible information exists.
A: Shreyas Iyer wears jersey number 96 in Indian cricket team and Punjab Kings. Earlier, his jersey number was 41 but he decided to change it.
A: Shreyas Iyer plays for Punjab Kings. He was bought for INR 26.75 crore at the IPL 2025 mega auction.
A: Shreyas Iyer’s sister is Shresta Iyer, who is a professional dancer and a choreographer.