Old Indian SUV Ravichandran Ashwin has sent a strong warning to head coach Gautam Gambhir and chief selector Ajit Agarkar after another dominant performance by Shreyas Iyer as captain and batsman of Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the ongoing IPL 2024.

Shreyas Iyer leads the Punjab Kings from the front and is changing the entire story of his team this season. After their dominant seven-wicket win over Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium on April 16, PBKS now look like one of the most dangerous teams in the tournament.

Shreyas Iyer’s heroics lift PBKS to top spot after crushing MI in IPL 2026

It was a completely one-sided show. Chasing a grand total of 196, Kings of Punjab He finished the match in just 16.3 overs with seven wickets in hand, thanks to brilliant fifties from Iyer and Prabhsimran Singh. They completely broke the Mumbai Indians bowling attack and finished the match in style.

With this victory, PBKS has reached the top of the points table with four wins in its first five matches. The captain played a magnificent innings of 66 runs off just 35 balls, hitting 5 fours and 4 sixes against the Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium.

This was his third consecutive fifty this season. He not only scores runs but controls the game with complete authority. Furthermore, Iyer’s impact as a captain has been enormous.

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Shreyas Iyer transforms Punjab Kings into fearless title contenders

After signing for a record Rs 26.75 crore in the IPL 2025 Mega AuctionThe right-handed hitter has completely changed the mentality of the franchise. Punjab Kings, who have not made the playoffs since 2014, are now playing fearless cricket and look like real title contenders.

In IPL 2025, Mumbaikar has already ended an 11-year wait by leading PBKS to the final, where they lost a close match to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). Now, in the current 2026 season, Iyer’s captaincy looks top-notch with better planning and solid performances.

Iyer is already the only captain to have led three different teams (PBKS, DC and KKR) to the IPL final. His winning percentage is also among the best, showing how successful he has been as a leader. Cricket experts praise his captaincy style, especially the way he uses his players intelligently and trusts young players in big moments.

Ignoring Shreyas Iyer could hurt India team: Ravichandran Ashwin warns selectors

After the MI vs PBKS game, Ravichandran Ashwin demanded Iyer’s selection in India’s T20I team and leadership group. Despite such solid performances, Iyer has been out of India’s T20 squad since 2023. And Ashwin has now made it clear that ignoring a player in this kind of form can be a big loss for the indian cricket team.

The former Indian player also mentioned how Iyer evolved his game, taking his strike rate to the next level, and even now plays short balls with ease, so the selectors should not make this an issue to overlook him for T20I selection.

Ashwin said on his YouTube channel: “His reach is exceptional and his leverages are excellent; he stretches across the shot to send the ball very far. Ignore Shreyas Iyer at your own risk. Even after doing all these things, if he is not in the scheme of things or does not make it to India’s leadership group, then it is his loss, not Shreyas’s.”

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