Leading an Indian Premier League franchise is a role that comes with instant respect, but the job is never smooth. The T20 tournament has its share of spikes and valleys, and what separates one skipper\u2019s legacy from another is how he handles pressure\u2014both in public and in crunch moments. India is currently riding a particularly strong wave in international cricket, having strengthened its dominance in T20 internationals and recently secured successive ICC Men\u2019s T20 World Cup titles, with the 2026 crown arriving under the captaincy of Suryakumar Yadav just ahead of the IPL. Yet, with Yadav now 35 and experiencing a small dip in his personal returns even while maintaining a record of proven leadership, there is growing discussion that India may start preparing for a handover to a younger, established captain for the 2026\u201328 T20 cycle. Names already doing the rounds include Shubman Gill\u2014who captains India in both ODI and Tests\u2014and Sanju Samson.<\/p>\n
Amid that speculation, it\u2019s difficult to ignore the momentum behind Shreyas Iyer, a young IPL-winning captain who has continued to build a case for becoming part of India\u2019s next-generation T20 leadership group. With age working in his favour and a clearer sense of composure and maturity becoming visible from season to season, Iyer has drawn increasing attention as a potential long-term choice for the shortest format. His recent appointment as vice-captain of India\u2019s ODI side under Gill has also reinforced the level of confidence placed in his leadership, not just his batting.<\/p>\n
Cricket, however, keeps moving, and India\u2019s selection group has already begun adjusting the ODI and Test setup in line with an international schedule that promises to be packed. For now, the focus remains on T20, with the ongoing IPL nearing its decisive phase before India\u2019s overseas commitments begin. The international schedule includes matches against Ireland in late June, followed by a five-match series against England.<\/p>\n
With the next Indian T20 captain expected to be named soon, former Australia captain Ricky Ponting\u2014an IPL-winning leader twice over and currently the head coach of Punjab Kings\u2014has once again thrown his support behind Iyer. Ponting highlighted both Iyer\u2019s leadership abilities and his current form with the bat, suggesting that the right mix of traits is already falling into place.\u201cI think there are several contenders, but he\u2019s (Shreyas Iyer) one of the main contenders as far as I\u2019m concerned. I think we saw at the start of the tournament just how good a T20 player he is and where he\u2019s at, both on and off the field right now,\u201d Ponting said.<\/p>\n
While it may seem like a franchise coach naturally backing his own captain, that support is also rooted in the changes Iyer has made over time. He has evolved from being viewed primarily as a talented batter into a skipper who has learned how to steer a side toward results\u2014something that has become harder to dismiss as his seasons progress.<\/p>\n
Also Read – Ajit Agarkar slammed for disrespecting Mohammed Shami: \u2018Would you treat Bumrah the same way?\u2019<\/p>\n
The Ponting-Iyer relationship has played a central role in Punjab Kings\u2019 revival. The franchise secured Iyer for INR 26.75 crore ahead of the 2025 season, shortly after the 31-year-old guided Kolkata Knight Riders to their third IPL title in 2024. Under their combined leadership, PBKS finished top of the league standings in 2025 but were unable to convert that advantage in the final, losing to Royal Challengers Bengaluru.<\/p>\n
That disappointment, though, did not derail Iyer\u2019s drive. Punjab Kings carried the momentum into 2026, staying unbeaten in their opening seven outings and once again asserting themselves in the group stage. More recently, the results have turned more difficult: the side has suffered six straight defeats, leaving them scrambling for qualification ahead of a key encounter against Lucknow Super Giants on May 23.<\/p>\n
Ponting also pointed to what he sees as Iyer\u2019s growth during high-pressure stretches, and he urged that the skipper should be able to deliver when the stakes are highest. \u201cI think he\u2019s a much more mature player than he\u2019s probably ever been in his whole career. I think he\u2019s completely on top of his game now. He\u2019s probably a good example of what I was talking about earlier; it\u2019s really hard to maintain a high level of consistency through 14 games of cricket. There are going to be times when you have your ups and downs as an individual and as a team. I\u2019m pretty sure he\u2019ll bounce back in this last game that we\u2019ve got. If he stands up and makes a big score, then we\u2019re a good chance of winning the game,\u201d Ponting added.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Leading an Indian Premier League franchise is a role that comes with instant respect, but the job is never smooth. The T20 tournament has its…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":11159,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_title":"Ponting Praises Shreyas Iyer as IPL Captaincy Focus","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"Ricky Ponting lauds Shreyas Iyer\u2019s maturity as IPL captaincy chatter grows\u2014can he handle pressure and shape India\u2019s next leadership era?","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11161","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ipl"],"yoast_head":"\n