New Delhi, March 14 (IANS) Former India captain and legendary leg-spinner Anil Kumble has heaped praise on Shreyas Iyer, calling him an underrated yet exceptional leader in the Indian Premier League (IPL). The former coach believes Iyer’s leadership qualities are often overlooked despite the batter consistently delivering strong performances as a captain.

Speaking about Iyer’s leadership journey, Kumble highlighted how difficult it is for a captain to succeed across different franchises in the highly competitive environment of the IPL. According to Kumble, the transition between teams often brings new challenges ranging from management dynamics to team culture.

“Shreyas Iyer is certainly an underrated skipper. It is not easy to win a trophy with one franchise and then go to another. There is a different management, atmosphere and a team. The pressure is also different. The new franchise he joined had not played in the final in the last 10 years and in just his first season with the Punjab Kings, he took them to the final,” Kumble told JioStar while discussing Iyer’s impact at the Punjab Kings.

Kumble also praised Iyer’s ability to lead from the front, emphasising that the batter’s contributions go beyond tactical decisions on the field, as he said, “I was not just impressed by his captaincy, but the way he led the team from the front. There are some players who have to prove themselves every time. Shreyas is like that. Even after performing, questions still come up. I think he is underrated, but is an exceptional leader.”

The former India captain also turned his attention to Kolkata Knight Riders and their retention strategy, questioning the franchise’s decision to release key members of their title-winning squad.

“Two years ago, KKR won the IPL and lifted their third trophy. Two important cogs in that wheel were Shreyas Iyer and Phil Salt. Both played crucial roles in helping them win. But KKR let both of them go. There is no consistency from them in terms of player retention,” Kumble remarked.

He further argued that letting go of a title-winning captain can significantly weaken a team’s structure and leadership stability, saying, “KKR took the wrong decision by letting Shreyas Iyer and Phil Salt leave. That has left them without an IPL-winning Captain. Yes, Ajinkya Rahane is an experienced campaigner. He has led Mumbai in domestic cricket and Rajasthan Royals in the IPL. But he has not lifted the IPL title as Captain. Having a skipper who has won the trophy gives you an advantage.”

Kumble concluded by stressing that franchises must maintain continuity to achieve sustained success in the IPL.

“KKR let go of that advantage. They need to learn how to keep hold of their key players. Otherwise, they will keep struggling and cannot be considered favourites to win the trophy,” he concluded.

–IANS

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