IPL 2025: Shreyas Iyer Is A Calm Leader Who Empowers Bowlers, Says PBKS Pacer Kuldeep Sen

Punjab Kings (PBKS) pacer Kuldeep Sen believes skipper Shreyas Iyer's composed leadership style makes him a strong captaincy contender for the future of the Indian team. Praising Iyer's approach, Sen highlighted his ability to stay calm under pressure and empower his bowlers with strategic freedom - qualities that played a key role in KKR's title-winning campaign last season and now in his leadership at Punjab Kings. With the ongoing IPL, there has been plenty of discussion around leadership prospects for Indian cricket. Sen weighs in on the topic, particularly about Iyer. "Shreyas played an important role in stabilising the innings in the middle order. It's not easy to bat in that phase, but he managed to score crucial runs. His ability to anchor and accelerate is a big asset for the team."

"As a captain, Shreyas' quality is that he remains calm on the ground. I have observed that even when he played for the opposition, he gave full freedom to the bowlers, allowing them to decide how they wanted to execute their plans. That is a great quality in a leader. India have many options for leadership, and if you look at Shreyas, his qualities as a captain are very strong. He is calm, composed and has excellent decision-making skills. There is no doubt about his performance and as a captain, he is very cool and a great person. That is the most important thing," Sen told IANS.

Two years ago, the right-arm pacer was a fast-bowling revelation. Clocking speeds north of 140 kmph and defending 14 runs against Marcus Stoinis on his IPL debut, he was touted as one of India's rising pace prospects. But just as quickly as he emerged, injuries forced him to the sidelines. A back issue during his debut ODI series against Bangladesh in