IPL 2025: 'A slight hiccup at start of tournament helps wake you up', PBKS skipper Iyer reflects after loss to RR

Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer remained upbeat despite his team's first defeat of the IPL 2025 season, highlighting the importance of learnings from their six-wicket loss to the Rajasthan Royals.

The Royals, boosted by a strong opening stand from Yashasvi Jaiswal and Riyan Parag, posted a commanding 205 in the first innings. Punjab’s chase was derailed early by Jofra Archer, who picked up two crucial wickets in quick succession to swing momentum Rajasthan's way.

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“I felt we could have taken it slower and tried to build partnerships, but there are lots of learnings from this game,” Iyer said at the post-match presentation. “There was no dew as we had anticipated. We’ll need to revisit the videos to understand where we went wrong with both our bowling and batting.”

'Nehal was phenomenal'

Punjab’s innings was marred by frequent loss of wickets, preventing any meaningful partnerships from forming. However, Iyer lauded young Nehal Wadhera for his composed performance under pressure.

“Nehal was phenomenal. He took his time, assessed the conditions well, and then went after the bowlers. It’s a good sign for us,” Iyer added. “Sometimes, a slight hiccup at the start of the tournament helps wake you up. I personally believe this loss will be good for us.”

Despite Rajasthan’s overall dominance, Parag had a brief lull during his innings before launching a powerful finish. His unbeaten 43 off just 27 balls, laced with three sixes and as many fours, ensured the Royals crossed the 200-run mark.

Iyer, who won the toss and opted to bowl, admitted his target was to keep Rajasthan to a more manageable score.

“I was thinking 180-185 would be a decent score to chase here. The pitch had a bit of hold, and we tried not to give them pace. But we failed to execute our plans,” he said. “Still, I’m glad this happened early in the tournament—we’ve got plenty of time to regroup.”

(With inputs from agencies)