Shreyas Iyer Has established himself as a dependable leader in the Indian Premier League, reaching the final three times with three different teams and winning once with Kolkata Knight Riders in 2024 season.
The upward spike in Shreyas Iyer's batting
Meanwhile, Shreyas Iyer has also worked a lot in his batting since joining Punjab Kings amassing over 600 runs at an average of 50.33 and an amazing strike rate of 175.07 across 17 outings in the 2025 season. The story seems to be the same in the ongoing season too, with scoring 208 runs in six games for the Punjab-based franchise at an average of 52 and a strike rate of 182.46.
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With this kind of form, calls for his return in India's T20I setup has grown louder, with some reports claiming that he could be the next captain of the side if Suryakumar Yadav fails to improve his batting form. Iyer last played a T20I in December 2023, in his absence India secured two-consecutive T20 World Cups under Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav in 2024 and 2026 respectively.
Zaheer Khan drops his take on Shreyas Iyer as India's next T20I captain
Reflecting on this, former India pacer Zaheer Khan has dropped an unique take saying that the Punjab Kings skipper must ensure his spot in India's current T20I setup and having the captaincy of the side should not be his immediate focus.
"First, being part of the T20 setup is something that will be on his mind. Captaincy, I am not sure if he is thinking on those lines right now. In due course, he can be a contender. He has been captaining franchises for a while now and has been successful in doing that. Clearly has that kind of a lookout and mindset," said Zaheer Khan on Cricbuzz.
Saying further on the topic, Zaheer Khan said that Shreyas Iyer must focus on his individual performances as well and the former KKR skipper is looking hungry to create an impact with the bat.
"When you are looking at the Indian T20 setup, I think the first and foremost he must be thinking about making an impact with his performances – just as a player to secure a spot. Once you are in the squad, then the rest of the things are up to how the team management is looking at. I think Shreyas is very keenly looking at putting up those performances and he’s very hungry to make a mark with individual performances," Zaheer added.
Next Challenge for Punjab Kings in IPL 2026
Punjab Kings will lock horns with Axar Patel-led Delhi Capitals in their upcoming game in IPL 2026 on Saturday, April 25 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi. Currently, the Shreyas Iyer-led side stand at top of the table with 11 points in hand after six games in the tournament at a net run rate of +1.420.