The 26-year-old was full of praise of a leadership style that puts team first
Indian star pacer Arshdeep Singh hailed Punjab Kings’ skipper Shreyas Iyer and his captaincy style that allows players to ‘trust their skills.’
Iyer, who played a pivotal role in Kolkata Knight Riders winning the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 as their captain, made the switch to Punjab Kings in the IPL 2025 auction in November for a whopping INR 26.75 crore, impressed in his first outing as the captain at his new franchise with a superb 97 not out against Gujarat Titans.
His unbeaten knock PBKS post a total of 243/5 in 20 overs and was enough to bag a 11-run win to begin the new season.
Arshdeep, who had played under Shreyas’ captaincy for India D in the Duleep Trophy 2024, endorsed the leadership style as ‘selfless’.
“I have played with Iyer before, under his captaincy in the Duleep Trophy, and I really enjoyed it. He always backed his players and gave them the freedom to express themselves,” said Arshdeep.
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Shreyas had also led Mumbai to the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in December which was followed by top-scoring for India in the Champions Trophy 2025 triumph with 243 runs from five matches including crucial knocks of 45 and 48 in the semifinal and final respectively.
“What I’ve noticed here is that his approach remains the same — he doesn’t impose rigid instructions but encourages players to trust their skills and play for the team. He promotes a selfless approach, assuring full backing to the players. I truly admire this mindset, and as players, we will do our best to support him,” Arshdeep added.
It was a similar sentiment shared by Mumbai and Punjab Kings youngster Suryansh Shedge, who was full of admiration for Shreyas calling him a ‘selfless leader’ and his ‘team first’ attitude powering his success.
Arshdeep began IPL 2025 with 2-36 against Gujarat Titans which had two key wickets of Sai Sudharshan and Shefane Rutherford and a run-out of finisher Rahul Tewatia. As sterner tests await him, the left-armer felt that he is fully ready for the challenger.
“I enjoy stepping up when the team is under pressure — whether it’s stopping runs or taking wickets. When they hand me the ball in crucial moments, it feels good to know that they trust me. I genuinely enjoy the added responsibility, regardless of the situation. I try not to feel the pressure and instead focus on delivering my best for the team,” he said.
The 2024 T20 World Cup winner said he is own biggest critic and makes sure to improve whenever there’s a lapse in his performances.
“I’ve always believed that the biggest room in the world is the room for improvement. Whenever I get the chance, I engage in constructive self-criticism and strive to enhance my skill-set, even if it’s just by 1% or half a percent,” Arshdeep said.
Punjab Kings are set to face Lucknow Super Giants at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow on Tuesday.
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