'Found that quite funny' - AB de Villiers on manner of Shreyas Iyer's captaincy announcement ahead of IPL 2025

Star Indian batter Shreyas Iyer was recently announced as the captain of Punjab Kings (PBKS) for the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) season during an episode of the popular reality show Bigg Boss. The announcement, a first of its kind in IPL’s history, received mixed reactions, including one from South African cricket legend AB de Villiers.

Iyer, who was acquired by Punjab Kings for a record-breaking INR 26.75 crore at the IPL auction, became the second-most expensive player in IPL history. The official announcement of his captaincy was made on Bigg Boss, hosted by Bollywood actor Salman Khan. Reacting to the announcement, AB de Villiers shared his thoughts on his YouTube channel. 

"Shreyas Iyer is appointed as the captain of the Punjab Kings in a very odd way, on a TV show. I found that quite funny. Maybe, it is the new way of doing things. I am generally used to a press conference and a formal announcement but this was actually maybe quite refreshing in a way."

Iyer has had an exceptional 2024 in domestic and franchise cricket. The stylish right-hander led Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to their third IPL title earlier in 2024 and also captained Mumbai to victories in the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy and was part of the winning Ranji Trophy and Irani Trophy squad.

Also Read: 'I'm flexible and ready to bat anywhere in the batting order'- Shreyas Iyer on Champions Trophy squad

Might just see Punjab Kings have a good season: AB de Villiers

The 30-year-old's leadership and ability to deliver under pressure make him a prized asset for Punjab Kings, who have struggled to make it to the playoffs since 2014. Interestingly this will be Iyer's third time leading an IPL team. Meanwhile, the former South African batter heaped huge praise for Iyer’s leadership, particularly on his stint with KKR, who won the title under Iyer in 2024.

"He’s had some success with KKR, winning the IPL, and leading them to victory. That was absolutely incredible and a big loss for KKR to be honest. I feel Shreyas handled the IPL so well under immense pressure, and so many quality teams against you, all the players. Shreyas found a way to keep things calm and composed in that KKR unit," he added.

At the Punjab-based franchise, Iyer will reunite with head coach Ricky Ponting, with whom he previously shared a successful stint at DC, guiding them to the 2020 IPL final. De Villiers pointed out the duo’s potential to change PBKS’ fortunes. 

"But he is with Punjab Kings this year and it’s great to see him under the coaching of Ricky Ponting. Ponting is one of the best players that ever played this game, he’s got an incredibly smart cricket brain on his shoulders and it’s great to see the two of them together. I think they’ve got a good side guys and finally, we might just see Punjab Kings have a good season.

"It’s been a while, right? It’s been a while since we’ve seen them in the knockout stages and it will be good for the tournament. So, yes, I think Shreyas Iyer will feed off Ricky Ponting. Shreyas already comes with a lot of experience because he won that IPL last year. I think he’s a natural leader and he’s got a very good side to work with," de Villiers concluded.