'...Shreyas is a young leader and if you look at him, he goes to each and every player, not only the squad player, he goes to even the net bowler, talks to them.'
Punjab Kings skipper Shreyas Iyer's remarkable resurgence since the Champions Trophy has drawn praise from the IPL team's spin coach Sunil Joshi, who has attributed his success to a relentless "hunger for challenges".
Iyer, who was not retained by Kolkata Knight Riders after leading them to the IPL 2024 title, began the current season with unbeaten knocks of 97 and 52, showcasing his stellar form.
"If you look back at Shreyas's contribution in the last 8-10 months from the Champions Trophy, playing not only against fast bowling, playing against spin has become more consistent," Joshi said on the eve of their match against Kolkata Knight Riders in Kolkata.
"He has shown the hunger and he is ready to accept every challenge he comes across. For any player of that calibre, you accept every challenge, every ball.
"I am sure that he has done some great work behind the scenes. It's a good momentum to carry forward as a leader as well," Joshi said.
In the 2025 Champions Trophy, Iyer was the backbone of India's middle-order, averaging 48.60 with four 40-plus scores in five games, including two fifties.
Since February 2022, Iyer has averaged 53.71 in ODIs and he is also among only six batters to score over 2500 runs since the 2019 World Cup.
Technical tweaks have aided his resurgence. A slightly more open stance now allows him greater access to the on-side and helps counter the short ball more effectively.
Iyer also tends to go deep into his crease, giving himself extra time to execute his strokes.
The Eden Gardens clash marks a return to familiar territory for Iyer, who captained KKR to their first IPL title in a decade, last season.
Joshi acknowledged the leadership qualities Iyer continues to bring, even while talking to net bowlers.
"I think Shreyas is a young leader and if you look at him, he goes to each and every player, not only the squad player, he goes to even the net bowler, talks to them.
"That shows the confidence to each and every member in the team. And this is a great hallmark for a leader to come in future.
As a genuine leader, when you go and speak to the players, especially the net bowlers, that means he is concerned about them. They are also part of our team. That shows the caring attitude," Joshi added.
Asked if Iyer was approaching this game with extra motivation given his past with KKR, Joshi played it down.
"I think it's as good as the regular game. Every game is an important game. Approach is the same. We need to go out and play good cricket, play to win," he said.
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