"I used to be a ball boy during IPL 2008": PBKS skipper Shreyas Iyer reveals story of his early cricket days

As the Indian Premier League (IPL) celebrates its 18th anniversary, a heartwarming story of one of India's batting sensations, Shreyas Iyer, has surfaced. Currently leading the IPL team Punjab Kings, Shreyas Iyer shed light on his early days of cricket. In an interview with Star Sports, the player unveiled how he was associated with the league during the inaugural season.

Shreyas Iyer, before being a professional cricketer, was a cricket-obsessed teenager during IPL 2008. Now, the IPL-winning skipper used to be a ball boy not only for a game but for all the Mumbai Indians home matches during the inaugural IPL season.

“I think I was 13 or 14. I was the ball boy in Mumbai — not for just one game but for all the games that season,” Iyer recalled fondly. “The second match of the tournament, if I’m not wrong, was between the Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), and I was there as a ball boy.”

During IPL 2008, Shreyas Iyer used to play for the Mumbai under-14 team. He got the chance to be a ball boy as a part of the unique initiative under which budding cricketers were selected to serve as a ball boy during IPL matches. This used to be a great experience for them, as they used to be up close and personal with the world's biggest cricket stars.

“I was one of the lucky ones,” Iyer said. “It was surreal to be near the dugout, seeing all those legends from just a few feet away. I was kind of speechless.”

Iyer also revealed the player he used to like the most during that time. He named the former New Zealand batter Ross Taylor, whom he used to admire the most.

“Ross Taylor used to be my favourite then,” Iyer shared with a smile. “I went up to him intentionally and told him, ‘I’m a big fan of yours.’ He was very sweet, and he just smiled and said, ‘Thank you so much.’ That moment meant everything to me back then.”

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Punjab Kings gears up for a Royal Challenge in match 34 of IPL 2025

Shreyas Iyer-led Punjab Kings (PBKS) have played exceptional cricket in the IPL 2025. The team has won four out of six matches and is currently placed at the fourth position. In their previous match against KKR, the team defended a small total of 111 by wrapping the Knight Riders on 95.

Meanwhile, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) too has looked a balanced side in the ongoing IPL 2025. As a result, the team is sitting at the third position with four wins in six matches. RCB would like to take the home advantage and register 5th win of the tournament.