New Delhi, May 18 (IANs) Former Australian captain Aaron Finch has commended Shreyas Iyer for his remarkable leadership and performance since joining Punjab Kings, referring to him as a terrific young leader who has successfully transitioned his leadership skills from one franchise to another.

Iyer, the IPL 2024 championship-winning captain of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), was picked up by PBKS during last year’s mega auction for an astounding Rs 26.75 crore. To date, this investment has proven to be wise, as the right-handed batsman has scored 405 runs in 11 matches with an impressive average of 50.63, including four half-centuries.

"He’s been exceptional – just as he was at KKR. Shreyas is a fantastic young leader. Leaving a title-winning team would have been challenging, but carrying that leadership success into a new environment showcases his adaptability. Despite the change in team and coaching staff, he has adjusted superbly. His batting, particularly in away games, has been outstanding. Overall, he has excelled for the Kings – both in leadership and performance," Finch commented on JioHotstar.

As captain, with Ricky Ponting serving as their head coach, Iyer has demonstrated keen insight and proactive leadership, which has positioned PBKS with 15 points, ranking them third in the standings. The team requires two victories from their final three fixtures to secure a playoff spot for the first time since 2014.

Previously, Iyer and coach Ponting collaborated at Delhi Capitals, where they reached the playoffs in 2019 and finished as runners-up in 2020. Now back together at PBKS, the Iyer-Ponting alliance has revitalized the team's prospects, bringing them close to a playoff berth after more than a decade.

Meanwhile, IPL 2025 resumed after a week-long hiatus following the washout of the match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Kolkata Knight Riders, which was canceled due to ongoing rain.

Both teams received one point each, with RCB climbing to the top of the table with 17 points from 12 games, edging closer to a playoff spot, while KKR, with 12 points from 13 games, has been eliminated from contention.

Former Indian cricketer and coach Sanjay Bangar provided a thoughtful analysis on Rajat Patidar’s influence as both a captain and a batsman this season, stating, "Sometimes performance is about the number of deliveries faced. If the top order is excelling, your opportunities may be limited. Furthermore, being surrounded by high achievers means you should not dwell on a few failures too much.

"Rajat has taken on responsibility exceptionally well. His captaincy has been precise. He started the season strongly with the bat and continues to shine whenever he is at the crease. In T20 cricket, occasional misses are inevitable – it's simply part of the format."