MS Dhoni, Shreyas Iyer and Gautam Gambhir [Source: AFP]Punjab skipper Shreyas Iyer has forged his legacy as a skipper since his massive IPL 2024 title win with his ex-team Kolkata Knight Riders. Emerging as one of the finest captains of the mega Indian tournament, Iyer is currently challenging veterans like MS Dhoni, Rohit Sharma, among others. In IPL 2026 too, Punjab Kings are currently topping the table with a dominant force, already being one of the favourites to be the finalists of the season. Backing Shreyas Iyer's confidence and superb stride to carry his team forward, former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan praised him. The ex-all-rounder opined that the star batter could surpass the status of legendary veterans MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma if he manages to lead Punjab Kings to their first title. Shreyas Iyer’s Successful Captaincy Record Iyer has a solid track record as a captain in the IPL. Leading the Punjab Kings since 2025, Iyer has played 33 matches, out of which one game was tied, and Shreyas Iyer has managed to win 19 of them with only 10 losses, making the win-to-loss ratio a staggering 1.90. This success has come after Iyer's impressive leadership with teams like Delhi Daredevils, where he captained for 41 IPL matches, and at KKR, where he led the team in 29 games. He also leads the Mumbai domestic team and so far has captained it for 13 games. As a captain in the IPL, Shreyas Iyer has led teams in 96 matches and has impressive wins under his belt. Also Read- Outside Cricket, Shreyas Iyer Flexes With Crazy StardomIrfan Pathan labels Iyer ‘Better’ Than MSD, Gambhir! Praising this leadership of Iyer, Irfan Pathan expressed that the Punjab skipper should be on the list of legends alongside MS Dhoni, Rohit Sharma, and Gautam Gambhir. “On that list of MS Dhoni, Rohit Sharma and Gautam Gambhir, I feel Iyer has to be right up there among the best Captains," Pathan said on Jiostar’s ‘Out or Not’ segment. Pathan was expressive of the fact that adapting to the culture and mindset of a team is not very easy, and Shreyas Iyer has done that task masterfully. If Iyer manages to win the title with Punjab Kings, it will be a feat that has not even been achieved by Dhoni, Rohit, or Gambhir. “It is not easy to take three different franchises to the finals. Each franchise is different, their culture, setup and their mindset is completely different. To adjust to those things and then lead the way forward is not easy. No one has ever done it. MS Dhoni won all five trophies with CSK, and it is not that he has not played for any other franchise," Pathan said. 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. One more trophy; if he wins it with Punjab, he will surpass everyone," Pathan concluded. PBKS’ Dominant IPL 2026 Captain Under Iyer So far, Punjab Kings have lost only two matches out of the nine games they have played. Although the losses were back-to-back, they were practically invincible ahead of their eighth game, with no losses in that stretch. However, with defeats against Gujarat Titans and Rajasthan Royals, Punjab Kings will aim to make a solid comeback against the Sunrisers Hyderabad. With 13 points already under their belt, the Shreyas Iyer-led team will be one of the favourites to qualify among the top two teams of the tournament. The IPL 2026 playoffs schedule has also been released on May 6, and as per the schedule, if Punjab Kings manage to keep up and qualify with their next two or three games, they are favourites to remain at the top. Then, they will be able to play Qualifier 1 on May 26 at their home ground, the HPCA Stadium in Dharamshala.Also Read- "The Bias Stinks": BCCI Thrashed For IPL 2026 Final In Ahmedabad As RCB Home Rejected
