Who is the best captain in the history of the Indian Premier League? This question remains, and will remain in the future as well. To find out the answer, Star Sports went to the two former Team India cricketers, Irfan Pathan and Suresh Raina.
Star Sports shared a video from their official social media account, with the opinions of Pathan and Raina. The former cricketers, now acting as cricket experts, admired the leadership skills of Shreyas Iyer, but with different views.
Who is the best captain in the Indian Premier League?
Irfan Pathan ranked among the four successful captains of IPL. Along with Rohit Sharma and MS Dhoni, who helped the Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings, respectively, to claim 5 trophies each, are in the list. Pathan mentioned Gautam Gambhir as well in the conversation.
According to Pathan, “Shreyas Iyer has to be there.” The former pace bowling all-rounder ranked MS Dhoni, Rohit Sharma, Gautam Gambhir, and then Shreyas Iyer in his rankings.
Shreyas Iyer has achieved a rare record as a captain
Iyer is the only player to captain three different franchises to the final. For this reason, he is considered one of the most impactful leaders in the Indian Premier League. Under his leadership, Kolkata Knight Riders won their third league title, and he guided Delhi Capitals and Punjab Kings to the finals as well. Pathan stated that what Iyer has done as a captain is amazing. If he can claim another trophy, he will be the best leader of all time in the history of the league.
“Shreyas Iyer has done a brilliant job as a captain. Taking three different teams to the finals is not for any captain. But Shreyas did that. If he wins another title, then he will surpass everyone,” Irfan Pathan said in the video.
Suresh Raina also spoke about leadership qualities of Iyer
Like Pathan, Suresh Raina is also mesmerized by the leadership qualities of Iyer, currently the captain of the Punjab Kings (PBKS). With Shreyas Iyer in the front, PBKS went to play the final of the IPL 2025 season. Taking a step further, the former CSK batter compared Iyer with the former Team India captain Mohammad Azharuddin.
“Wherever he (Shreyas Iyer) has gone, he has played fantastically as a batter and done phenomenal work as a captain. Communication is a key point for every captain; it gives me Azhar Bhai (Mohammad Azharuddin) vibe. Iyer has the special ability to take bold decisions under crucial situations,” Suresh Raina.
Where does #ShreyasIyer rank as captain among him, #MSDhoni, #RohitSharma & #GautamGambhir? 🤔#IrfanPathan & #SureshRaina give their verdict! 👀
Watch the full episode of Out or Not Out on JioHotstar! 📺#TATAIPL 2026 👉 #DCvPBKS | SAT, 25 APR, 2:30 PM pic.twitter.com/A1Qk11HRs9
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) April 25, 2026
PBKS, the runners-up of the previous season, is currently leading the points table as the only undefeated side in the IPL 2026 campaign. With 5 wins from 6 matches, one washed-out game in Kolkata, Iyer and Co. is top of the chart with 11 points and a net run rate of +1.420. Iyer himself is in good form for the team, scoring 208 in 6 matches and 5 innings at an average of 52.00, at a strike rate of 182.45.
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