Iyer returns to Eden Gardens to lead Punjab’s charge against struggling KKR

The iconic Eden Gardens is set to witness an emotionally charged clash on Saturday as defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) host high-flying Punjab Kings (PBKS) in Match 44 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025.

The game, already carrying significant playoff implications, will have an added layer of drama as Shreyas Iyer returns to the city he once called home, now wearing the colours of the opposition.

Iyer, who captained KKR to their third IPL title last year and ended a decade-long wait for glory, was surprisingly not retained by the franchise ahead of this season.

The baton was handed to Ajinkya Rahane, but the move has backfired with KKR languishing in seventh place.

They’ve managed just three wins from eight games and are teetering on the edge of elimination. Another defeat could close the door on their top-four aspirations.

For Iyer, Saturday’s game is personal. After being let go by the Knight Riders, he found purpose with Punjab Kings under the mentorship of Ricky Ponting, his former coach at Delhi Capitals.

Together, the duo has breathed new life into the PBKS setup. Iyer has already scored 263 runs with three half-centuries this season and has led Punjab to five wins from eight games.

Although he enters this fixture on the back of three single-digit scores, there’s little doubt that Eden Gardens could be the perfect setting for him to script a comeback, both with the bat and the narrative.

The reverse fixture earlier this season in Chandigarh only adds more spice to this encounter. Punjab successfully defended the lowest total in IPL history — 111 — against the Knight Riders.

KKR, at one point cruising at 62/2, collapsed dramatically to be bowled out for just 95, with Yuzvendra Chahal spinning a web of destruction. The shock defeat left a scar, and KKR will be keen to avenge it on home turf.

However, that turf hasn’t been kind to them this season. Kolkata have lost three of their four home games in 2025, and Eden Gardens — once their fortress — now reflects their inconsistency. Their bowling has looked toothless at times, and their batting has relied too heavily on individual brilliance.

For PBKS, this match presents a chance to climb to third on the points table, leapfrogging Mumbai Indians and RCB. Their squad looks more balanced, with solid opening options, Iyer anchoring the middle order, and the bowling unit performing with precision and variety.

Iyer’s move to PBKS is a game changer, says Singh: While many expressed surprise over Iyer not being retained by KKR, the right-handed batter has gone about his business as the PBKS’ skipper with his usual sharp and thoughtful demeanour, resulting in the side winning five out of eight IPL 2025 games so far.

RP Singh, the former India left-arm fast-bowler, feels Iyer’s shift from being KKR’s winning captain last year to playing against them as the PBKS skipper at the Eden Gardens will hold huge importance when the two sides clash in a crunch Saturday evening game.

“The Punjab Kings-Kolkata Knight Riders is a pretty important game of this week’s fixtures as Punjab defended a very small total last time through great bowling (in New Chandigarh). It looked like KKR would be dominant, but their form hasn’t been that great.”

“Saturday’s match also becomes more important because the winning captain of KKR last year is the captain of Punjab right now, which is Shreyas Iyer. So somewhere, that also holds a huge importance in this upcoming match,” said Singh, a JioStar expert.

Agencies