Shreyas Iyer's cricketing journey is nothing short of inspirational. From being a young ball boy during the inaugural season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) to leading Punjab Kings (PBKS) in 2025, his rise in the cricketing world has been remarkable. The 29-year-old cricketer, who previously captained Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to a championship win in 2024, is now set to lead PBKS in the upcoming season. As he prepares for the challenge, Iyer reminisces about his early IPL memories, including a special interaction with one of his favorite cricketers, Ross Taylor. Early IPL Memories and Meeting Ross Taylor Speaking on JioHotstar's 'Superstars' programme, Iyer recalled his experience as a ball boy at Wankhede Stadium during the 2008 IPL season. He was assigned the role during a match between Mumbai Indians (MI) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), marking his first close-up encounter with the prestigious tournament. "I grew up playing street cricket in my area, and at that time, I was part of Mumbai’s U-14 team. All the kids from the squad were given the opportunity to be ball boys, and it was my first experience of IPL up close. I remember being shy and reserved, but I was lucky to be one of them," Iyer shared. He further recounted his interaction with former RCB and New Zealand cricketer Ross Taylor, whom he admired. "With my friends approaching players, I felt left out and decided to try too. Ross Taylor was one of my favorite players back then, so I went up to him and said, 'Sir, I am a big fan of yours.' He was very sweet and thanked me. Back then, it was common to ask for a bat or gloves, but I was too shy to ask, even though I really wanted to." A Special Encounter with Irfan Pathan During the same match, Iyer also had the chance to interact with Punjab Kings' all-rounder Irfan Pathan, which left a lasting impression on him. "I vividly remember Irfan Pathan standing at long-on. He sat next to us and asked if we were enjoying the match. We told him we were having a lot of fun and were thrilled to see him. At that time, Irfan bhai was very popular, and the Punjab team had some of the most good-looking boys, including Yuvi pa (Yuvraj Singh). It’s a memory that has stayed with me even after so many years." A Stellar IPL Career Since making his IPL debut in 2015, Iyer has established himself as a consistent performer. He has amassed 3,127 runs at an average of 32.23 and a strike rate of 127.47, including 21 half-centuries. His best individual score remains 96. During his debut season with Delhi Capitals in 2015, he won the ‘Emerging Player’ award after scoring 439 runs in 14 matches at an impressive average of 33.77. In 2018, Iyer was given his first captaincy role with Delhi Capitals and led the team to their first-ever IPL final in 2020, where they finished as runners-up to Mumbai Indians. In 2022, he moved to KKR and led them to their third IPL title in 2024 under the mentorship of Gautam Gambhir. Now, as he steps into his new role with Punjab Kings, fans eagerly await to see if he can replicate his past success and guide PBKS to their first IPL trophy. ALSO READ: Ish Sodhi Reaches Milestone: Becomes New Zealand’s 10th Highest Wicket-Taker Across Formats