New Delhi [India], May 6 : Former India cricketer Irfan Pathan hailed Punjab Kings (PBKS) skipper Shreyas Iyer's leadership, saying he belongs in the same bracket as some of the most successful IPL captains, including MS Dhoni, Rohit Sharma and Gautam Gambhir.
Iyer, who previously led Delhi Capitals (DC) to the IPL final in 2020 and guided Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to the title in 2024, is now aiming for another strong campaign with Punjab Kings (PBKS) in IPL 2026. Under his captaincy, PBKS currently sit at the top of the points table after nine matches.
The 31-year-old has scored 328 runs so far this season and is the second-highest run-getter for PBKS, behind opener Prabhsimran Singh, who has amassed 361 runs.
PBKS will take on Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in their upcoming IPL clash on Wednesday, with the team coming into the match on the back of two consecutive defeats, placing additional responsibility on their skipper.
Speaking on JioStar's 'TATA IPL: Out or Not Out', Pathan praised Iyer's adaptability and leadership across franchises.
"On that list of MS Dhoni, Rohit Sharma and Gautam Gambhir, I feel Shreyas Iyer has to be right up there among the best Captains. It is not easy to take three different franchises to the finals. Each franchise is different; their culture, setup and mindset are completely different. To adjust to those things and then lead the way forward is not easy. No one has ever done it," said Pathan.
Iyer is the only player to lead three different IPL franchises in the final - first with Delhi Capitals in 2020, then won the trophy with Kolkata Knight Riders in 2024 and took PBKS to their second IPL final in the 2025 season, where they lost to Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
Comparing Iyer with the most successful IPL captains, Pathan said, "MS Dhoni won all five trophies with CSK, and it is not that he has not played for any other franchise. Similarly, Rohit Sharma has won all his trophies as Captain with MI, and Gautam Gambhir did it for KKR in those two seasons. But here you have Shreyas Iyer, who has taken three franchises to the final and won it with KKR."
Pathan believes that if Iyer manages to win this year's IPL trophy with Punjab Kings, he will surpass everyone.
"One more trophy; if he wins it with Punjab, he will surpass everyone," he concluded.