New Delhi, May 6 (IANS) Former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan has heaped praise on Punjab Kings (PBKS) skipper Shreyas Iyer, saying the stylish right-hander is on the verge of surpassing some of the greatest captains in IPL history, including MS Dhoni, Rohit Sharma, and Gautam Gambhir.

“Shreyas Iyer, who has taken three franchises to the final and won it with KKR. One more trophy; if he wins it with Punjab, he will surpass everyone,” Pathan told Jio Hotstar.

Pathan emphasised that Iyer’s ability to lead different franchises to the IPL final is an achievement unmatched in the league’s history.

“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 their mindset is completely different. To adjust to those things and then lead the way forward is not easy. No one has ever done it,” Pathan told Jio Hotstar.

He contrasted Iyer’s journey with other legendary captains, pointing out that their success largely came with a single team.

“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,” he noted.

Meanwhile, under the leadership of Iyer, Punjab Kings performed really well and reached the IPL final but lost the title match against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in IPL 2025. They are also currently leading the points table with 13 points in nine matches. They will next face the 2016 Indian Premier League champions Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad on Wednesday.

–IANS

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