IPL 2025: Chahal calls Shreyas Iyer 'open minded' skipper, says he listens to everyone's advice

IANS April 6, 2025 347 views

Yuzvendra Chahal has publicly praised Shreyas Iyer's leadership qualities during the IPL 2025 season, highlighting his calm demeanor and open-minded approach to team management. Iyer, who was acquired by Punjab Kings for a record sum, has been performing exceptionally both as a captain and a batsman. The spinner emphasized Iyer's ability to listen to players of all levels and maintain composure under pressure. With Punjab Kings seeking their first IPL title, Iyer's leadership and explosive batting are seen as crucial to the team's success.

"He is very calm. It's not that if the opposition team is creating pressure, he will panic." - Yuzvendra Chahal
IPL 2025: Chahal calls Shreyas Iyer 'open minded' skipper, says he listens to everyone's advice
New Delhi, April 6: Punjab Kings and India spinner Yuzvendra Chahal has hailed Shreyas Iyer as an "open-minded captain," highlighting that he is receptive to advice from everyone in the team. The highest wicket-taker in IPL history also mentioned that Iyer is a captain who is approachable, and any player can go to him whenever they need to.

Key Points

1

Iyer secured for record Rs 26.75 crore at 2025 mega auction

2

Chahal lauds Iyer's approachable leadership style

3

Punjab Kings aim for first IPL title

4

Iyer's impressive batting form continues

Iyer's IPL career boasts impressive statistics, with 3,286 runs scored across 119 innings. His most prolific season with the bat came in 2020, when he accumulated 519 runs. Beyond his individual performances, he has evolved from a promising young player into a successful captain.

He led KKR to their third IPL title, scoring 351 runs at a strike rate of 146.86. At the 2025 mega auction, Punjab Kings secured him for a record Rs 26.75 crore, entrusting him with the captaincy to spearhead their title quest.

'We have a great friendship. We have also played together in the India team, and off the field, he (Shreyas Iyer) is really a good friend of mine. I think he is on top. As a bowler, you look at your skipper, and you get everything you need. You can approach him anytime you want. He is very calm. It's not that if the opposition team is creating pressure, he will panic. He remains very calm," said Chahal to IANS during the JioHotstar Press Room with Punjab Kings.

"The best thing is that he listens to everyone's advice. It's not like he doesn't take input from junior players. He is very open-minded. We are really enjoying his captaincy," he added.

Iyer has been in red-hot form in the IPL this year. He continued his impressive form from the Champions Trophy into the new season, which was evident when he hit nine sixes and five boundaries on his way to scoring an unbeaten 97 against Gujarat Titans in their campaign opener at a breathtaking strike rate of 230.95.

He then remained unbeaten on 52 runs against Lucknow Super Giants but got dismissed cheaply against Rajasthan Royals on Saturday. PBKS are currently fourth in the table with two wins in three outings, having registered two back-to-back wins before slumping to their first loss of the season as they suffered a 50-run loss against the Royals.

With PBKS chasing their maiden IPL triumph, Iyer’s explosive batting and leadership will be pivotal in guiding the franchise to a long-awaited IPL glory.

PBKS will next play Chennai Super Kings on April 8 at Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, Mullanpur in Chandigarh.

Reader Comments

R
Rahul K.
Shreyas has really matured as a captain! His calmness under pressure is what sets him apart. That 97 against GT was pure class 🔥 Hope he leads PBKS to their first title this year!
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Priya M.
While I appreciate Shreyas' leadership, I think PBKS overpaid at the auction. 26cr is too much pressure for any player, no matter how good they are. Hope he proves me wrong though!
A
Arjun S.
Chahal's praise says it all! When senior players speak this highly about a captain, you know he's doing something right. The way he's batting this season is just insane 🤯
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Neha P.
That strike rate of 230 against GT was unbelievable! I was at the stadium and the way he was timing the ball... just wow. PBKS fans finally have something to cheer about after all these years!
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Vikram J.
Interesting to see how he bounces back after that cheap dismissal against RR. True test of a captain is how they handle failures. I'm sure he'll come back stronger against CSK!
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Sanjana R.
The way he values inputs from junior players shows real leadership quality. Modern cricket needs more captains like him who aren't afraid to listen and learn 👏

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Tags:
IPL 2025 Shreyas Iyer Yuzvendra Chahal Punjab Kings Cricket Leadership IPL Captaincy
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