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Punjab Kings (PBKS) captain Shreyas Iyer is known for keeping things simple on the field, but one funny incident involving the left-arm fast bowler Arshdeep Singh showed just how serious he is when it comes to player focus during a match.
However, Iyer failed to take the Punjab Kings to the IPL 2026 playoffs but impressed everyone with his strong leadership. PBKS lost six matches in a row and failed to reach the top-four this season.
Arshdeep Singh reveals funny boundary-line incident involving Shreyas Iyer during IPL 2026
Speaking with India women’s star Harleen Deol in a video shared by Punjab Kings on its social media platform, Arshdeep Singh recalled a memorable moment when he was enjoying himself near the boundary rope and interacting with the crowd during one of the IPL 2026 matches.
Read Also: Ravichandran Ashwin questions selectors’ ‘Human Touch’ as Suryakumar Yadav faces possible India axe
The Indian pacer was having a good time while waiting for his next spell, and his captain, Shreyas Iyer, was closely watching everything. While Arshdeep was busy entertaining the spectators, Shreyas suddenly called him over and told him to get ready to bowl.
The fast bowler admitted that he was completely caught off guard by Iyer’s call because he was handed the ball in the 11th over and that was not part of the plan.
Shreyas Iyer wants his players to stay switched on at all times: Arshdeep Singh
Arshdeep Singh said in the video: “While I was fielding on the boundary and entertaining the crowd, Shreyas Iyer suddenly called out, ‘Arsh, what are you doing there?’ and asked me to come bowl. I usually bowl the 1st, 2nd, 17th, and 20th overs, but he brought me on in the 11th over. I was shocked!”
Later, Shreyas explained why he had stepped in. The captain wanted Arshdeep to keep his full attention on the match and not get distracted, even for a short time. The PBKS bowler said that Iyer wants his players to stay switched on at all times, and that is his priority always.
The bowler added, “Later, he told me to stay focused on what was happening in the game. If the over goes well, it’s fine, but if it doesn’t, everyone starts saying, ‘Your focus wasn’t there.’”
🔴 SHREYAS IYER WAS UNHAPPY WITH MY BOUNDARY-LINE ENTERTAINMENT – ARSHDEEP SINGH 🤯
🎙️: While I was fielding on the boundary and entertaining the crowd, Shreyas Iyer suddenly called out, ‘Arsh, what are you doing there?’ and asked me to come bowl. I usually bowl the 1st, 2nd,… pic.twitter.com/iS2bcGE7O9
— Sam (@cricsam02) June 6, 2026
Shreyas Iyer set to replace Suryakumar Yadav as India’s T20I captain
Meanwhile, Shreyas Iyer is likely to be appointed as India’s new T20I captain, replacing Suryakumar Yadav, who led the team to the T20 World Cup title earlier this year. If Shreyas gets the job, he will become India’s third T20 captain in the last two years.
His impressive leadership with Punjab Kings and consistent performances with the bat have reportedly impressed the selectors. Interestingly, Suryakumar will not only lose the captaincy but also face axing from the T20I squad because of his poor form with the bat.
Some reports even suggest that Tilak Varma will be named as India’s new T20 vice-captain. Tilak is currently leading India A in the ODI tri-series in Sri Lanka, involving Afghanistan A. The left-hander has impressed with both his performances and leadership skills, which seem to have strengthened his chances of getting a bigger role in the senior team.
The national selectors will take some big calls on Saturday, June 6, to pick the T20I squads for the upcoming tours of Ireland and England. They will also announce the squad for the Asian Games 2026 in Japan, where they will be defending their gold medal.
