IPL 2025: Chahal calls Shreyas Iyer 'open minded' skipper, says he listens to everyone's advice

New Delhi, April 6 (IANS) Punjab Kings and India spinner Yuzvendra Chahal has hailed Shreyas Iyer as an "open-minded captain," highlighting that he is receptive to advice from everyone in the team. The highest wicket-taker in IPL history also mentioned that Iyer is a captain who is approachable, and any player can go to him whenever they need to.

Iyer's IPL career boasts impressive statistics, with 3,286 runs scored across 119 innings. His most prolific season with the bat came in 2020, when he accumulated 519 runs. Beyond his individual performances, he has evolved from a promising young player into a successful captain.

He led KKR to their third IPL title, scoring 351 runs at a strike rate of 146.86. At the 2025 mega auction, Punjab Kings secured him for a record Rs 26.75 crore, entrusting him with the captaincy to spearhead their title quest.

'We have a great friendship. We have also played together in the India team, and off the field, he (Shreyas Iyer) is really a good friend of mine. I think he is on top. As a bowler, you look at your skipper, and you get everything you need. You can approach him anytime you want. He is very calm. It's not that if the opposition team is creating pressure, he will panic. He remains very calm," said Chahal to IANS during the JioHotstar Press Room with Punjab Kings.

"The best thing is that he listens to everyone's advice. It's not like he doesn't take input from junior players. He is very open-minded. We are really enjoying his captaincy," he added.

Iyer has been in red-hot form in the IPL this year. He continued his impressive form from the Champions Trophy into the new season, which was evident when he hit nine sixes and five boundaries on his way to scoring an unbeaten 97 against Gujarat Titans in their campaign opener at a breathtaking strike rate of 230.95.

He then remained unbeaten on 52 runs against Lucknow Super Giants but got dismissed cheaply against Rajasthan Royals on Saturday. PBKS are currently fourth in the table with two wins in three outings, having registered two back-to-back wins before slumping to their first loss of the season as they suffered a 50-run loss against the Royals.

With PBKS chasing their maiden IPL triumph, Iyer’s explosive batting and leadership will be pivotal in guiding the franchise to a long-awaited IPL glory.

PBKS will next play Chennai Super Kings on April 8 at Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, Mullanpur in Chandigarh.

--IANS

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