"He has a very sharp cricketing brain": PBKS batter Shashank Singh lauds Shreyas Iyer's leadership

By Karunesh Kumar Punjab Kings (PBKS) batter Shashank Singh on Monday lauded PBKS skipper Shreyas Iyer's captaincy, stating he has a very sharp cricketing brain.

Shashank underlined Iyer's inclusive leadership style, pointing out how the captain's approach extends far beyond the playing eleven. Iyer led Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to their third Indian Premier League (IPL) title in 2024. In the following year, he was released by the franchise and picked up by the Punjab Kings in the 2025 IPL mega auction.

Taking charge of PBKS, Iyer guided the team to the IPL 2025 final, where they narrowly lost to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) by six runs. While speaking to ANI, Shashank Singh said, "The way he changed the bowling, set some angles in fielding. I mean, he has a very sharp cricketing brain. And someone who is very calm at times. And the way he handles players. I mean, the players were not even playing. That is something, especially in IPL, which is a difficult task to manage players who are not playing. So, he is someone who is very good at all those things."

Singh spoke of his meeting with PBKS head coach Ricky Ponting, praising his humility and impressive cricketing knowledge, which lived up to the legend's esteemed reputation. "It was a very good experience [With Ricky Ponting]. I have heard a lot of stories about him earlier, so obviously, when I met him for the first time, he is a very good person, down to earth and plus he is someone with a sharp cricketing brain," Shashank said.

Shashank Singh, an aggressive middle-order batter for Punjab Kings, has experience playing for multiple IPL teams, including Delhi Daredevils (2017), Rajasthan Royals (2019), and Sunrisers Hyderabad (2022). In 33 IPL innings, he's scored 773 runs at an average of 40.68, with a best of 68* and five half-centuries, showcasing his finishing skills. Singh had a breakout season in IPL 2025, scoring 350 runs in 14 innings at a strike rate of 153.50, propelling Punjab Kings to the final. He played a key role, highlighted by an unbeaten 61 in the final against RCB.

He came into the limelight after hitting an unbeaten 29-ball 61 for the Punjab Kings against the Gujarat Titans in IPL 2024. Being "not out" at the end of an innings is the true mark of a finisher, and no one in IPL 2025 managed this more often than Singh. He was not out in 7 of the 14 innings he played in. Singh emphasised that a finisher must be dynamic, smart, and pressure-handling, citing MS Dhoni, Hardik Pandya, and Yuvraj Singh as exemplary models. He particularly lauded Yuvraj's pivotal contributions to India's 2007 and 2011 World Cup victories.

"A finisher's role has to be dynamic. He needs to adapt to the situation very well. Needs to be very smart, the way he handles the pressure at that time. I look at players like, what, Mahi bhai is someone who has done this role so many innings for India, and Hardik Pandya is doing the same. Yuvi Pazi, the way he handled the pressure. I mean, the World Cup we won, I give great credit to him, the way he handled that pressure," Shashank added. Shashank credits experience for sharpening his game, having successfully navigated high-pressure situations for his state team and IPL franchise. Shashank also felt he was prepared to handle pressure situations and was confident in his ability to perform at the highest level.

"I think that I have become smarter with time, and I try my best for my state team also. I have the same number, so that I get a situation like this in IPL or maybe for India in future. So, I will be very much, like I will be adapted to that situation. So, I think that number 5, 6, 7, I think I have done this for my state team and for the IPL franchisee as well. So, I think I am pretty much ready for the highest level," he concluded. (ANI)

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