Yuzvendra Chahal gives belt treatment to Gautam Gambhir, labels Shreyas Iyer the difference maker

Veteran leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal opened up about Shreyas Iyer's captaincy style amid the ongoing five-match Test between India and England. Chahal stated that he likes Shreyas' positive mindset and straightforward nature on the field, noting his leadership achievements in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Yuzvendra Chahal is currently playing for Northamptonshire in the 2025 County season. Notably, this is his third consecutive summer stint in English domestic cricket. He signed a contract running from June through the end of the season.

While the Indian national cricket team is touring England for the five-match Test series, Chahal, who has never been part of India’s Test plans, continues to focus on County cricket.

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Yuzvendra Chahal Opens Up on Shreyas Iyer's Captaincy Amid India-England Tests

During a conversation on Raj Shamani’s YouTube podcast, Yuzvendra Chahal shared his thoughts on Shreyas Iyer’s leadership. Chahal said that Iyer has a positive attitude and a straightforward nature on the field.

The leg-spinner noted that Iyer doesn’t speak negatively and lets his performances do the talking. Chahal also highlighted Iyer’s impressive leadership record, leading Delhi to an IPL final after a decade and guiding Kolkata Knight Riders to a title after 10 years.

"Amazing. Positive. I like his attitude on the field. He doesn’t talk negatively or anything like that. He’s very straightforward. I think his bat speaks for itself. Last year, he led Delhi to the final after 10 years. He guided KKR to victory after 10 years. After 11 years, we played in the playoffs," Chahal said.

Shreyas Iyer Bought by Punjab Kings for ₹26.75 Crore at IPL 2025 Mega Auction

Shreyas Iyer was bought by Punjab Kings for ₹26.75 crore at the IPL 2025 mega auction, making him the second-costliest player in the league’s history. The middle-order batter was named captain ahead of the season.

Under his leadership, PBKS made a remarkable comeback and reached the final, where they narrowly lost by six runs to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at the Narendra Modi Stadium. Notably, it was their first IPL final since the 2014 season.

Iyer led from the front with the bat, scoring 604 runs in 17 innings at a strike rate of 175.07. Shashank Singh also made valuable contributions, scoring 350 runs from 14 innings at a strike rate of 153.50.

Yuzvendra Chahal Had a Decent Season as PBKS Made It to the Final

Yuzvendra Chahal also played for Punjab Kings in IPL 2025 after being signed for ₹18 crore at the mega auction. The veteran leg-spinner had a slow start to the season but found his rhythm as the tournament progressed.

Chahal featured in 14 matches, taking 16 wickets at an average of 26.87 and an economy rate of 9.55. He was instrumental in PBKS' journey to the final.

However, Chahal hasn’t been a regular in the Indian team and last played for the country in August 2023 during a T20I against the West Indies. While he was part of India’s squad for the 2024 T20 World Cup, he didn’t get to play a single match. The team went on to lift the trophy.

Also read: Sanju Samson issues 1st statement on joining CSK for IPL 2026