The TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 is just a few weeks away. The teams are gearing up for the toughest T20 league in the world. Punjab Kings already started their training a few weeks back, as the Shreyas Iyer-led side would be once again eyeing the IPL title as they lost the final to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) last season.
Shreyas Iyer was excellent last season with the Punjab Kings (PBKS). He led the side to the first final after more than a decade. Iyer was the leading run scorer for the side, as he scored 604 runs in the competition last season, and finished as the 6th leading run scorer of the tournament.
It will regret of Shreyas Iyer for not being part of the T20 team- Irfan Pathan
Despite his exceptional performance in the IPL, he was not part of the T20 World Cup 2026. Ahead of the IPL 2026, former Punjab Kings cricketer Irfan Pathan, while speaking on StarSports, has shared his views on Shreyas Iyer’s excellent leadership qualities and also his consistent performances in the ODIs.
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Irfan said, “It will regret of Shreyas Iyer for not being part of the T20 team, which could definitely happen for the Indian side because the competition is very high. However, he certainly has the ability, and there is still space in the team for a player like him in the middle. So I’m sure he must be thinking about making his way back.”
Here’s the video
An outstanding captain & a proven batter! 🔥@IrfanPathan has full belief in @PunjabKings’ skipper @ShreyasIyer! 💪#TATAIPL 2026 👉 Starts 28 March! pic.twitter.com/9MaUMapMqI
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) March 14, 2026
The way he performs this year will be crucial-Irfan Pathan
Irfan Pathan further added, “The way he performs this year will be crucial. If he does well, it will be similar to how Shreyas Iyer has consistently proved himself over the years. He is already a proven cricketer and remains a very important part of India’s core in One-Day Internationals.”
“But when it comes to T20 cricket, his performance as a spinner has been outstanding. When he returns here again, his mindset will be the same. The improvement he has shown in his batting against fast bowling is encouraging, and if he continues to build on that while contributing with his spin, he can become even more valuable to the team.”
Shreyas Iyer is looking for his second IPL title
Shreyas was out of the ODI squad due to a rib injury he suffered during the ODI series against Australia. Iyer came back in the ODI series against New Zealand. Shreyas has been the IPL winner with the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in 2024. In the following season, he was picked by PBKS and has been the second-highest-paid cricketer in IPL history.
Iyer will look to continue his form in the IPL and win the first silverware for the PBKS. Previously, former RCB captain Anil Kumble was described as an underrated but amazing leader. The former RCB veteran believes it is difficult for a captain to win a trophy with one team and then move on to another.
PBKS full squad for IPL 2026
Shashank Singh, Prabhsimran Singh, Arshdeep Singh, Shreyas Iyer, Yuzvendra Chahal, Marcus Stoinis, Nehal Wadhera, Harpreet Brar, Vishnu Vinod, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Yash Thakur, Marco Jansen, Lockie Ferguson, Azmatullah Omarzai, Harnoor Pannu, Priyansh Arya, Musheer Khan, Suryansh Shedge, Xavier Bartlett, Pyla Avinash, Cooper Connolly, Ben Dwarshuis, Praveen Dubey
