Former India cricketer Manoj Tiwary branded Punjab Kings’ (PBKS) Shreyas Iyer as the best captain going around recently. The ace batter is on a stunning run as the leader in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026, guiding his side to an unbeaten run so far, and perched at the top of the points table.
Shreyas Iyer has a win percentage of 56.02 in the competition, having led three different franchises over the course of the last eight years. His leadership credentials include a title with the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in 2024, coupled with finals appearances with the other two teams he has represented. The ace batter is also the vice-captain of Team India’s ODI setup.
Manoj Tiwary lauded Shreyas Iyer for thinking about the team first and handing over his trademark No.3 spot to Cooper Connolly, and admits that he is a better captain than Suryakumar Yadav.
“He is a selfless player and a captain, because if he wished, he could have come in at No.3. Because he knows that if he wants to be in the Indian T20 team, he has to score more runs, but he has that clarity. If you ask anyone to honestly say who the best captain is in today’s era, nobody will say Suryakumar Yadav. They will take Shreyas Iyer’s name. He has proved it by representing three different franchises successfully,” Manoj Tiwary said on Cricbuzz.
“The only question that remains is when will he be part of the T20I team again. We don’t wish that Surya leave right now because he also has a good record, there is no doubt about it. But, somewhere there will be pressure on Surya in the times to come that if someone can replace him, it is Shreyas Iyer,” he added.
Shreyas Iyer has been on a sublime run in the shortest format. He had a stellar IPL 2025 campaign in his maiden season for the Punjab Kings (PBKS), and is involved in the Orange Cap race in the early stages of IPL 2026 as well.
“If Shreyas Iyer is not picked immediately for the next series or tournament, then the loss is Team India’s, not Iyer’s. If he does not get a chance after even this, then it will be a grave injustice,” Tiwary said.
Get the latest cricket news here, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram for more such updates.
