New Delhi, April 19 (IANS) Former off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has lauded Punjab Kings Shreyas Iyer’s performance as a batter and a skipper in the past two years, saying the top-order batter is “growing into the role of a leader that the players are looking up to.”

Last season, Iyer etched his name in IPL history books by steering his team to their first final in 11 years. His scintillating knock of 87* off just 41 balls against Mumbai Indians in Qualifier 2 not only showcased his batting prowess but also cemented his leadership credentials. The victory also meant Iyer executed PBKS’ first-ever 200 or more successful run chase against the Mumbai Indians in tournament history.

This season, with four wins out of five (and a washout) PBKS are currently sitting on top of the standings. Ashwin argued that the form with the bat has been helping Iyer’s form as captain. “Just the comfort that he is creating around the team, to say, we will have a brotherly conversation. It’s a brotherhood here. At the end of the day, I have played in teams where there is always that layer that you can’t… You are just not able to go up to the captain or the coach and say, ‘I will deliver this for you’. And it’s happened.

“Just the fact that he has kept it simple like how it is being done in your gully or in your tennis-ball game back home, where we do this all the time with our captain or with our friend. That atmosphere is amazing. And I think the way he is batting, he is growing into the role of a leader that the players are looking up to, which is a lethal combination,” Ashwin said on ESPNcricinfo’s TimeOut programme.

In the 2026 season, Iyer has scored 50, 69 not out and 66 in his last three innings. He has so far scored 203 runs in five games at a strike rate of 187.96. Ashiwn believes that Iyer is scaring bowlers with his presence on the crease as he is constantly working to improve his game and get better.

“His sheer presence (at the crease) is terrifying the bowlers in many ways. And how has he done that? His appetite to be able to upskill himself is sensational. I’ve played cricket for quite an amount of time. I’ve interacted with a lot of cricketers.

“Not many have the appetite to be able to leave what they’re good at and explore areas where they’re weak. You would have seen a lot of careers pan out where people have not worked on their weaknesses at all,” he added.

–IANS

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