Shreyas Iyer’s captaincy at Punjab Kings has suddenly come under the spotlight after the franchise’s recent slide in results. The skipper, who steered PBKS to the final last season and also oversaw a promising run that began with seven straight matches without a loss this year, now finds himself dealing with mounting pressure as the campaign falters.
Punjab’s momentum has stalled badly, with the team suffering four consecutive defeats that have tightened the race for the playoffs. The latest setback came in their loss to Delhi Capitals at the HPCA Stadium, a match that marked PBKS’ fourth defeat of the season and triggered fresh questions about the side’s planning and execution.
Quick facts
- Shreyas Iyer is facing captaincy scrutiny after Punjab Kings’ recent dip in form
- PBKS reached the final last season and began this year with an unbeaten run of seven matches
- Punjab have lost four straight games and are slipping in the playoff race
- The immediate concern followed PBKS’ defeat to Delhi Capitals at the HPCA Stadium (their fourth loss of the season)
- Criticism has focused on the bowling setup and the heavy reliance on pacers
- Analysts have debated Iyer’s decision not to use Yuzvendra Chahal in that match
- Kris Srikkanth also questioned Punjab’s spin choices, urging Chahal and Harpreet Brar to be used
Questions were especially raised around Iyer’s tactical calls during the defeat to Delhi Capitals. The bowling plan drew criticism for leaning too heavily on pace, and that imbalance became a talking point as the match unfolded.
One decision in particular has fuelled the debate: Chahal was not brought into play in that game. For many observers, leaving out an experienced spinner during a crucial phase of the contest looked like a questionable call, and it has since added to the strain on PBKS as they move into a more decisive stretch of the tournament.
Srikkanth hits out at the spin call
Former India batter Kris Srikkanth was blunt in his assessment of Punjab’s approach. He singled out Iyer’s decision-making, with a sharp focus on how the team handled its spin options in the bowling attack.
“They have to play and bowl their spinners, Chahal and Harpreet Brar. It’s high time Shreyas Iyer shows confidence in them. He cannot joke around by not bowling Chahal even one over. What kind of rubbish thinking is this? Can’t a primary spinner not bowl two overs on a flat wicket? Chahal has bowled so many times on flat tracks for RCB and won matches for them,” Srikkanth said on his YouTube channel.
The former India cricketer also continued to challenge Punjab’s overall balance. In his view, Harpreet Brar should be a guaranteed selection, and the management should place more trust in its spin resources rather than reducing them to a secondary role.
“Brar has to play in the 11 for them. Even in the flattest of wickets, he will not go for more than 35 runs off four overs. He might get you a wicket also if the batter tries to slog him. He’s an excellent bowler. The handful of matches he has played, he has been brilliant,” Srikkanth added.
