Shreyas Iyer has guided Punjab Kings to a remarkable start in the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) season, with the franchise remaining unbeaten across their first seven matches.
With six wins and one no result, Shreyas has etched his name in the record books as the first captain in tournament history to avoid defeat in the opening seven games of a season. His leadership has drawn widespread praise, including from former India stars Virender Sehwag and Zaheer Khan.
Shreyas Rated Perfect
Speaking on Cricbuzz, Sehwag was full of admiration for Shreyas Iyer‘s captaincy, awarding him a perfect score, while Zaheer took a slightly more measured view and rated Rajat Patidar’s leadership at Royal Challengers Bengaluru higher.
“The strict teacher has given full marks, but the
more generous one hasn’t,” Zaheer joked, referencing Sehwag’s rare 10/10 rating. Sehwag responded humorously, suggesting his former teammate likely “cut 1.5 marks” because of Iyer’s loss in last season’s final.
Ishan Kishan Hailed
Zaheer also highlighted the impact of Ishan Kishan, who has impressed as stand-in captain for Sunrisers Hyderabad in the absence of Pat Cummins. Kishan led the side in the first seven games, winning five and losing just two, while gradually shaping his own leadership style.
“When he took over captaincy at the start of the season, he was following Cummins’ leadership template. After a few games, he came up with his own template and somehow convinced the management to make some changes. They roped in the likes of Sakib Hussain and Praful Hinge into the XI. The change in philosophy was clearly reflected with the team on a winning run,” said Zaheer.
At this stage of the tournament, Punjab Kings sit comfortably at the top of the table with 13 points from a possible 14. Close behind are Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Sunrisers Hyderabad, and Rajasthan Royals, all locked on 10 points, with RCB holding an edge due to a superior net run rate.
