What makes Shreyas Iyer an effective captain? PBKS pacer Xavier Bartlett explains
Xavier Bartlett hailed Shreyas Iyer's calm leadership, sharp game awareness, and ability to back his bowlers, crediting him for PBKS' strong run in IPL 2026. Beyond PBKS, Iyer has a proven captaincy record, having led Delhi Capitals and KKR in previous seasons.
Punjab Kings fast bowler Xavier Bartlett has explained what makes Shreyas Iyer an outstanding captain. Iyer joined PBKS last season and guided them to a runners-up finish, also leading them to their first IPL playoff appearance since 2014. This season too, Iyer has been in excellent form, with PBKS unbeaten in IPL 2026 and sitting at the top of the points table.
Bartlett, who has been with the franchise since 2025, praised Iyer’s calm leadership, sharp game awareness, and deep understanding of conditions. He also highlighted how Iyer backs his bowlers with confidence, allowing them to execute their skills freely, and described working under him as an enjoyable and enriching experience.
“I’ve been fortunate to play under some great captains in my career. Shreyas, in particular, brings a wealth of experience in these conditions. His calm and composed presence stands out, he’s always cool, collected, and in control,” Bartlett told Sports Today in an exclusive interview.
“One of the most impressive aspects of his captaincy is how well he understands conditions and reads the game. He also instils a great deal of confidence in the bowling group, backing us to go out there and execute our skills. That trust makes a big difference, and he’s someone I’ve really enjoyed working with,” Bartlett added.
Apart from his success with PBKS, Shreyas Iyer has also enjoyed strong stints with Delhi Capitals and Kolkata Knight Riders. He led Delhi to their maiden IPL final in 2020 and guided KKR to their third IPL title in 2024.
‘PBKS CAN GO ALL THE WAY’
Bartlett also credited PBKS’ strong start to a settled core, led by Shreyas Iyer and head coach Ricky Ponting. He praised their leadership and guidance as key learning influences, highlighting the team’s added experience and lessons from last season. The speedster also backed the team, saying PBKS have the potential to go all the way and lift the IPL trophy.
“We’ve had a fair bit of success over the past couple of years and started this tournament strongly. We’ve also had a very similar core group during this period, led by Shreyas, with Ricky Ponting as head coach. Having leaders of their calibre has been a huge learning experience for all of us,” Bartlett said.
“A lot of credit goes to their leadership and guidance. At the same time, we’re a slightly more experienced side now compared to last year, and we’ve carried forward the lessons from that campaign, especially after coming so close to winning the IPL.
“If we can continue this form, there’s every chance we can go a long way in the competition,” Bartlett added.
Bartlett, however, has endured a tough run with PBKS, picking up just six wickets from 10 matches at an economy rate of 10.23. Punjab will look to extend their unbeaten streak when they face Delhi Capitals on April 25 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi.
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Punjab Kings fast bowler Xavier Bartlett has explained what makes Shreyas Iyer an outstanding captain. Iyer joined PBKS last season and guided them to a runners-up finish, also leading them to their first IPL playoff appearance since 2014. This season too, Iyer has been in excellent form, with PBKS unbeaten in IPL 2026 and sitting at the top of the points table.
Bartlett, who has been with the franchise since 2025, praised Iyer’s calm leadership, sharp game awareness, and deep understanding of conditions. He also highlighted how Iyer backs his bowlers with confidence, allowing them to execute their skills freely, and described working under him as an enjoyable and enriching experience.
“I’ve been fortunate to play under some great captains in my career. Shreyas, in particular, brings a wealth of experience in these conditions. His calm and composed presence stands out, he’s always cool, collected, and in control,” Bartlett told Sports Today in an exclusive interview.
“One of the most impressive aspects of his captaincy is how well he understands conditions and reads the game. He also instils a great deal of confidence in the bowling group, backing us to go out there and execute our skills. That trust makes a big difference, and he’s someone I’ve really enjoyed working with,” Bartlett added.
Apart from his success with PBKS, Shreyas Iyer has also enjoyed strong stints with Delhi Capitals and Kolkata Knight Riders. He led Delhi to their maiden IPL final in 2020 and guided KKR to their third IPL title in 2024.
‘PBKS CAN GO ALL THE WAY’
Bartlett also credited PBKS’ strong start to a settled core, led by Shreyas Iyer and head coach Ricky Ponting. He praised their leadership and guidance as key learning influences, highlighting the team’s added experience and lessons from last season. The speedster also backed the team, saying PBKS have the potential to go all the way and lift the IPL trophy.
“We’ve had a fair bit of success over the past couple of years and started this tournament strongly. We’ve also had a very similar core group during this period, led by Shreyas, with Ricky Ponting as head coach. Having leaders of their calibre has been a huge learning experience for all of us,” Bartlett said.
“A lot of credit goes to their leadership and guidance. At the same time, we’re a slightly more experienced side now compared to last year, and we’ve carried forward the lessons from that campaign, especially after coming so close to winning the IPL.
“If we can continue this form, there’s every chance we can go a long way in the competition,” Bartlett added.
Bartlett, however, has endured a tough run with PBKS, picking up just six wickets from 10 matches at an economy rate of 10.23. Punjab will look to extend their unbeaten streak when they face Delhi Capitals on April 25 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi.
IPL 2026 | IPL Schedule | IPL Points Table | IPL Player Stats | Purple Cap | Orange Cap | IPL Videos | Cricket News | Live Score
