Shreyas Iyer will be fired up for clash against KKR at Eden Gardens: Sunil Gavaskar

Former India cricketer Sunil Gavaskar believes that Punjab Kings (PBKS) captain Shreyas Iyer will be highly motivated to return to Kolkata to play against his former team, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), on Saturday, April 26. Iyer won the title for KKR in 2024 but wasn't retained by the franchise. He even revealed that he didn't get much appreciation, which he deserved. 

Despite moving on to another franchise, Gavaskar feels that Iyer will be 'fired up' to play against KKR. Moreover, PBKS are doing well this season. They have won five out of eight games and are nearing the playoffs. This season has been quite different for the Punjab-based franchise as the players have shown confidence while batting, and the team looked balanced in most matches. 

Gavaskar suggested that Iyer will have a point to prove against his former team, making the match interesting for everyone to watch. 

"He will be fired up. And if he had been, you know, I've been out of form, if they had not done well, then one could understand. But the captain of a winning team not being retained will hurt. No question about it, that will hurt. Now he's got, he went for much, much more to PBKS, which is fine. That would have given him a little bit of consolation, but nobody wants to be left out, and that is the thing. So clearly, I think he will have a point to prove. Or maybe half a dozen points to prove," said Sunil Gavaskar on JioStar.

Can KKR qualify for the playoffs?

This season has been tough for the defending champions. The team doesn't look balanced, and the batters have failed to perform well under pressure. This is one of the main reasons why KKR are in the seventh position with just three wins in eight matches. However, they still have six games in their hands to make a comeback, just like RCB did last year. 

KKR have some serious work to do when it comes to setting up the batting lineup. The openers haven't played well in the powerplays, nor have the middle order batters performed in the crunch situations. The bowlers are doing their job, but they must also improve and pick early wickets to pressure the opponents.