New Delhi: The people of Punjab found a special tag for Shreyas Iyer last year – Sarpanch Sahab, meaning a head or elected representative. It may have started as a social media trick that latched on but it also fits his essence as Punjab Kings skipper, where he has come across as a measured, methodical leader who lets his work define the group ahead.
Last year, Punjab Kings finished atop the table in the league stage and made it to the finals, only to be defeated by Royal Challengers Bengaluru by 6 runs. They started their 2026 campaign with a win, defeating Gujarat Titans by 3 wickets on Tuesday.
When the team regrouped before the season, the dressing room discussion largely focused on carrying last season’s success forward with the aim of winning the trophy.
PBKS assistant coach and former Australian wicket-keeper batter Brad Haddin told HT, “We’ve got a really strong leader in Iyer… he sets a really high standard and the players follow. The team culture is driven a lot by the captain and that flows through the entire group and organisation.”
“The first conversation was that last year was a really good building block but this group is about building a bigger journey and being consistent at that level,” said Haddin. “Last year, we made big changes in our playing style driven by the leadership group. That’s something we’re proud of.”
“We can touch on what worked well last year but it’s more important now to draw a line in the sand, take those good moments, and build on what this group can become. There’s an opportunity now… our younger guys are a year older, more mature and have a better understanding of what it takes to succeed. So it’s been really positive about moving forward and creating something special.”
Iyer was at the centre of their consistent run last season – he led from the front, scoring 604 runs in 17 matches at an average of 50.33. He has worked alongside coach Ricky Ponting at the Delhi Capitals earlier and the coach-captain partnership seems to be clicking well even at the Punjab Kings. It’s well established that the former Australia captain rates Iyer highly but Haddin too seems to really back the captain.
“I’ve been very impressed. He has a clear message about how he wants to play and prepares exceptionally well. What he does to get his body right, his preparation around the way he plays… is second to none,” said Haddin.
“We have good strategic conversations but what stands out is his feel for the game. He’s really calm in situations… especially in franchise cricket where things can get big on individuals. His leadership and communication with players are world-class and his relationship with the head coach is excellent,” he added.
It’s not easy for players to win the admiration of Australians but with Ponting and now Haddin showering praise for Iyer’s leadership, his confidence in leading Kings to resurgence will be at a high.
Additionally, a strong season at the helm for the Punjab Kings will make it hard for the Indian management to look past him across white-ball formats. In late October last year, Iyer suffered a near-fatal spleen laceration with internal bleeding during the third ODI against Australia. He was hospitalised in Sydney and initially admitted to the ICU before stabilising. He was not in India’s scheme of things in the T20 format and did not make the squad for the World Cup but returned to the national set-up in the ODIs against New Zealand.
He may be called ‘sarpanch’ colloquially, but with motivation and the backing of his coaches, it may well be the season Iyer cements his reputation as a leader.
