Former India coach VVS Laxman has praised Shreyas Iyer's leadership qualities, saying the newly appointed T20I captain has all the attributes needed to enjoy a successful stint at the helm of the Indian team.
Iyer recently led India to the men's cricket gold medal at the 2026 Asian Games in Japan. India defeated Pakistan by 19 runs in a high-scoring final to successfully defend their Asian Games title.
Laxman, who was part of India's coaching setup during the tournament, was particularly impressed by Iyer's preparation and tactical awareness. He described Iyer as a “player's captain” who makes his teammates comfortable while leading from the front.
“It's just the start of his captaincy career, but I'm sure that he'll achieve a lot of success. He's a player's captain. He makes everyone very, very comfortable and leads by example,” Laxman said in an interview with the BCCI.
According to Laxman, Iyer puts considerable effort into understanding the opposition before matches. He studies their strengths and weaknesses and prepares detailed plans before stepping onto the field.
Laxman also highlighted Iyer's understanding of his own players. The former India batter believes the captain knows how to identify the strengths of each member of the squad and use them effectively.
“He's a fabulous leader of players. Tactically, very, very smart, very sharp. He understands the strengths of each and every player of his team,” Laxman said.
The former coach believes such qualities are particularly important in T20 cricket, where captains have very little time to react and often need to stay one or two steps ahead of the opposition.
Laxman also praised the Indian team's ability to adapt to difficult conditions during the Asian Games. The squad faced challenges involving weather, travel and limited opportunities for outdoor practice in Japan.
Despite those difficulties, the players remained focused on preparing for the crucial matches. India defeated Sri Lanka comfortably in the semi-final before producing another professional performance against Pakistan in the final.
Laxman said the team's adaptability was one of the biggest positives from the campaign. He also compared the experience with India's gold-medal-winning campaign at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, where players had faced a completely different set of conditions.
For Laxman, winning gold at a major multi-sport event has a special significance for cricketers because they rarely get the opportunity to stand on a podium and receive a medal for their country.
With Iyer beginning his captaincy journey on a winning note, Laxman's strong endorsement could further raise expectations around India's new leadership phase in T20 cricket.
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