Iyer is the only player to lead three different IPL franchises in the final.
Key Points
- Irfan Pathan placed Shreyas Iyer alongside Dhoni, Rohit and Gambhir as top IPL captains.
- Iyer is the only player to lead three different teams to IPL finals.
- Punjab Kings are currently top of the table despite coming into the next match after two losses.
Former India cricketer Irfan Pathan has praised Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer, saying he deserves to be ranked among the best leaders in the Indian Premier League, alongside MS Dhoni, Rohit Sharma and Gautam Gambhir.
Iyer has led different teams with success in the IPL. He took Delhi Capitals to the final in 2020, guided Kolkata Knight Riders to the title in 2024, and led Punjab Kings to the final in 2025. This season, PBKS are at the top of the table after nine matches under his captaincy.
The 31-year-old has also contributed with the bat, scoring 328 runs so far, making him the team’s second-highest run-scorer behind Prabhsimran Singh. PBKS will next face Sunrisers Hyderabad after two straight losses, putting added responsibility on Iyer.
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Iyer’s Leadership Shines Across Franchises
Pathan said Iyer’s ability to adapt to different teams and lead them to success is rare. He pointed out that while Dhoni, Rohit and Gambhir achieved success with one main franchise each, Iyer has taken three different teams to the final.
"On that list of MS Dhoni, Rohit Sharma and Gautam Gambhir, I feel Shreyas Iyer has to be right up there among the best captains. It is not easy to take three different franchises to the finals,' Pathan said on JioStar's 'TATA IPL: Out or Not Out' show.
"Each franchise is different; their culture, setup and mindset are completely different. To adjust to those things and then lead the way forward is not easy. No one has ever done it," he reasoned.
Iyer is the only player to lead three different IPL franchises in the final -- first with Delhi Capitals in 2020, then won the trophy with Kolkata Knight Riders in 2024 and took PBKS to their second IPL final in the 2025 season, where they lost to Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
"MS Dhoni won all five trophies with CSK, and it is not that he has not played for any other franchise. Similarly, Rohit Sharma has won all his trophies as Captain with MI, and Gautam Gambhir did it for KKR in those two seasons. But here you have Shreyas Iyer, who has taken three franchises to the final and won it with KKR."
Pathan added that if Iyer wins the IPL title with Punjab Kings this season, he could surpass all other captains in the league.
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