"I Was Clueless": Shreyas Iyer's Honest Take On 'Sarpanch' Title At Punjab Kings
Fondly known as 'Sarpanch' among the fans of Punjab Kings, the skipper has made 203 runs in four innings so far this year at an astonishing average of 67.67 and strike rate of 187.96.
One of the most respected cricketers in the Indian Premier League (IPL), Shreyas Iyer has seen his brand value soar since he joined the Punjab Kings. Channelising that love and support of people, Iyer led the franchise to the IPL final last year, though they suffered a defeat against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). Unbeaten in the IPL 2026 campaign so far, PBKS are launching another hunt for the final, with Iyer in top form. Since his arrival in Punjab, Iyer hasn't only earned love and respect but also the tag "Sarpanch".
Speaking about the title of 'Sarpanch', Iyer said that at first, he didn't even realise what it meant and why it has been given to him. Then, a few teammates explained the context to him.
"I love it. I was clueless at the start of my journey with Punjab Kings, how the 'Sarpanch' tag came up and what it meant," Iyer said on JioStar's 'Believe'. "But later, when I asked a couple of my teammates, they explained that 'Sarpanch' means the head of a family, a group or even a district. That gave me clarity, and from there onwards, my journey started."
The Punjab Kings skipper has made 203 runs in four innings so far this year at an astonishing average of 67.67 and strike rate of 187.96. He has hit 14 sixes and as many fours in this season so far.
Speaking on JioStar's 'Believe', PBKS Captain opened up on how the title of 'Sarpanch' has sat with him since joining the franchise.
Punjab Kings are the only unbeaten side in the IPL 2026 and currently stand at the top of the points table with nine points in five matches. Their match against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) was washed out, and one point was given to each side.
That was the only point KKR have earned this season as they are currently at the bottom of the table with five defeats in six matches.
The uncapped Indian batter, Prabhsimran Singh, has also been in red-hot form for the Punjab Kings with 211 runs so far in this season. Opening the batting for PBKS, the destructive batter has made runs at an average of over 70 and a strike rate of 172. He has hit 22 fours and 11 sixes so far.
With ANI Inputs
Punjab Kings