Ex-India batter VVS Laxman expressed his confidence in Shreyas Iyer becoming a successful captain for India in T20Is because he makes a lot of his teammates comfortable and sets an example for them, which is his view he formed when he was in the dressing room with him at the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya.
The CoE chief, who coached India in the Asian Games, added that he was impressed seeing how Iyer led India to a gold medal win in men’s cricket in Japan. His leadership skills amazed the former Indian player as he felt that Shreyas Iyer already has all those qualities that help him maintain a winning position in fast-paced T20 cricket.
“It is just the start of his captaincy career, but I am sure that he will achieve a lot of success. He is a player’s captain. He makes everyone very, very comfortable and leads by example. Whether with the bat or on the field, even before the team meetings, Shreyas sits down with the plans and the strengths and the weaknesses of the opposition. And he is very thorough in the way he prepares," Laxman said while speaking to BCCI.
“Puts a lot of emphasis on fitness. I am sure that he will have a very successful tenure as captain. He is a fabulous leader of players. Tactically, very, very smart, very sharp," Laxman added.
Laxman also lauded the Indian players for how they adapted to conditions in Japan, which differed from international cricket and the IPL.
"From the time we came to Japan, we were challenged by weather, travel, and lack of good practice sessions and preparation. But not even once did I feel that the team, all the players in the squad, were not eager to get ready for the big matches.
We know that the semifinal (against Sri Lanka) was on a tough wicket, but they showed positive intent, and again in the finals, with the bat, with the ball, I thought they were very professional,” Laxman added.
Laxman highlighted how situations were different in China in the Asian Games 2022 and how well Indian players adapted to them as well.
"Both the games in China and in Japan had their own set of challenges. And I'm happy that both the group of players, again, adapted and adjusted and got the desired result for the country. The ultimate aim and goal for all of us, whether in China or here in Japan, was to win the gold. Because not very often do we as cricketers experience being on a podium and receiving the gold medal," he said.
(PTI inputs)
