Shreyas Iyer knows the Eden Gardens surface like the back of his hand. Having led Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to its most recent Indian Premier League title in 2024, the seasoned campaigner is well aware of the strengths and vulnerabilities of his former franchise.

So, when he takes the field on Monday, this time as Punjab Kings captain, the visitors will feel they have an edge in preparation. Assistant bowling coach Trevor Gonsalves admitted that with Shreyas in the ranks, the team has been “precise in planning” against KKR.

“Shreyas has played with all the domestic players. He has been around with everyone, so particularly with KKR, it really does not make much difference,” Gonsalves said. “But yes, the planning that is there is very precise against KKR…”

Roped in by KKR ahead of the 2022 season, Shreyas missed the following edition due to injury, before leading from the front in 2024 to guide the side to the title. The franchise’s decision not to retain him raised eyebrows, but the seasoned batter responded in style, steering Punjab Kings to the final last season.

According to Gonsalves, Shreyas’ biggest strength lies in his ability to listen. “He has been very calm, very quiet. He has a very good ear. He listens to each player at length – that’s his biggest plus point,” Gonsalves said. “Our head coach Ricky Ponting and Shreyas are on the same page. I haven’t seen a single rift or difference in opinion between the captain and the coach.”

Published on Apr 05, 2026