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Punjab Kings' impressive journey in IPL 2026 has put the captaincy of Shreyas Iyer in the limelight. Still looking to lift their maiden IPL title after years of trying, the franchise has consistently stayed in the top half of the table and despite their recent slump, Iyer's captaincy is now under serious discussion as the business end of the competition looms closer.

Speaking in the JioStar "Out or Not" segment, former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan backed Iyer in the debate and claimed he deserves to be placed among the best captains in the history of the IPL, comparing his record in leading multiple sides to some other high-achieving skippers in the tournament's history.

Pathan said:

"On that list of MS Dhoni, Rohit Sharma and Gautam Gambhir, I feel Shreyas Iyer has to be right up there among the best Captains."

Iyer's journey as a skipper has been nothing short of impressive. After leading Delhi Capitals to their maiden IPL final in 2020, he went on to lift the coveted title with Kolkata Knight Riders in the 2024 season. He has once again managed to instill a winning mentality in the Punjab Kings, who finished runners-up last year, and continue to be strong contenders for the trophy in 2026 as well.

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Pathan claimed that Iyer has a unique case owing to his success across various franchises. He added that it's no child's play to take different franchises to the finale as every team comes with a different set up.

He said:

"It is not easy to take three different franchises to the finals. Each franchise is different, their culture, setup and their mindset is completely different. To adjust to those things and then lead the way forward is not easy. No one has ever done it. MS Dhoni won all five trophies with CSK, and it is not that he has not played for any other franchise."

Pathan also remarked that MS Dhoni, Rohit Sharma and Gautam Gambhir captained their sides well but in their particular cases, their achievements have primarily been confined to a particular team. However, Iyer has proved his capability in leading diverse franchises.

He said:

"Similarly, Rohit Sharma has won all his trophies as Captain with MI, and Gautam Gambhir did it for KKR in those two seasons."

Pathan then stated that a victory in another season, should it come with PBKS, would push Iyer ahead in the comparison.

Pathan said:

“But here you have Shreyas Iyer, who has taken three franchises to the final and won it with KKR. One more trophy; if he wins it with Punjab, he will surpass everyone."

Punjab Kings are still in the contention for the IPL trophy and Shreyas Iyer will be instrumental in guiding them to the title victory for the first time.