New Delhi, March 17 (NationPress) Irfan Pathan, the former Indian all-rounder, conveyed his strong belief that Shreyas Iyer, the captain of Punjab Kings, is fully capable of replicating his remarkable performance from the IPL 2025 season. He underscored the middle-order batter’s exceptional skills in both franchise and international cricket.

Last season, under Iyer’s guidance, the team had an impressive journey, finishing as runners-up. As they gear up for IPL 2026, PBKS has retained their key players while making strategic acquisitions in Australians Cooper Connolly and Ben Dwarshuis during the auction.

Pathan regards Iyer as a ‘proven cricketer’ and sees him as a potential candidate for the Indian T20I roster.

“While I’m not sure if Shreyas Iyer is viewing the IPL as a platform to secure his spot back in the T20I side, I can say he is indeed a proven talent. He has excelled in T20 cricket for Punjab Kings and has also made significant contributions to Team India. He holds a crucial position in ODI cricket for the national team. I firmly believe he has a role to play in the T20 setup for Team India, and I think he understands that,” Pathan mentioned during an interview with JioStar.

Pathan reminisced about Iyer’s outstanding performance against the Mumbai Indians in the playoffs last season, stating, “I can still picture that qualifier knock against Mumbai, especially that exquisite shot against Bumrah, effortlessly guiding the yorker down towards third man. He has made significant progress. I am genuinely excited to see if he can replicate his previous performance this season. I have confidence that he will.”

Regarding the overall composition of the Punjab Kings, Pathan expressed positivity, noting the ideal mix of batting strength and bowling depth.

“From what I observe, this team appears well-structured. With Shreyas Iyer, Prabhsimran Singh, and Priyansh Arya at the top, the order seems set, followed by Nehal Wadhera and Shashank Singh. Those selections are straightforward, and the finishing prowess of Stoinis will be invaluable,” he stated.

He further emphasized the franchise’s dependence on all-rounder Mitch Owen and praised the fast-bowling lineup, saying, “Following that, they are relying on Mitch Owen, who is genuinely a powerhouse. If he performs well, selecting the fast bowlers and the remainder of the lineup will be manageable. I will be closely watching the pace attack, including Arshdeep, Marco Jansen, and Ferguson; they are all in great form. There are solid backups as well.”