Former India batter and coach VVS Laxman has backed Shreyas Iyer to enjoy a successful stint as India’s captain, praising his meticulous preparation, tactical awareness and ability to understand his players. Laxman, who served as India’s head coach during the 2026 Asian Games, was impressed by Iyer’s leadership as India defended their men’s cricket gold medal in Japan.
Iyer led India to a thrilling 19-run victory over Pakistan in the final, and Laxman believes the middle-order batter already possesses several qualities required to excel as a T20 captain. He particularly highlighted Iyer’s preparation before matches and his ability to make players around him feel comfortable.
Laxman feels Iyer’s captaincy journey is only beginning but expects the 31-year-old to achieve considerable success. He also praised Iyer for leading by example and creating a positive environment within the team.
“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 told BCCI in an interview.
The former India batter further explained how closely Iyer studies the opposition before matches. According to Laxman, the India captain puts considerable emphasis on understanding the strengths and weaknesses of the opposition while also maintaining high standards when it comes to fitness.
“Whether with the bat or on the field, even before the team meetings, he sits down with the plans and the strengths and the weaknesses of the opposition. And he’s very thorough in the way he prepares. Puts a lot of emphasis on fitness. I’m sure that he’ll have a very successful tenure as captain.”
Laxman impressed by Iyer’s tactical understanding
Laxman also highlighted Shreyas Iyer‘s ability to understand the strengths of every player in his squad. He believes that this understanding allows the captain to extract the best possible performances from his teammates.
“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. And he knows how to get the best out of them,” he said.
The former India batter added that staying ahead of the opposition is particularly important in the shortest format, where matches can change quickly. He was impressed by the way Iyer assessed the opposition and prepared his team accordingly.
“Especially in T20, you’re required to be one or two steps ahead of the opposition. And the way he assesses the opposition’s strengths and weaknesses, prepares really well. And that’s something which I’m very happy about.”
Laxman’s praise for Iyer came after India successfully navigated several challenges during their Asian Games campaign. The squad had to deal with difficult weather conditions, travel, and limited opportunities for outdoor practice in Japan.
However, Laxman was pleased with the way the players adapted to the circumstances and remained focused throughout the tournament.
“From the time we came to Japan, we were challenged by weather, travel, lack of good practice session and preparation. But not even once I felt that the team, all the players in the squad were not eager to get ready for the big matches,” he said.
India defeated Sri Lanka in a challenging semifinal before producing a professional performance against Pakistan in the final. Laxman was particularly impressed by the team’s positive approach despite the difficult conditions.
“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.”
The former India batter also pointed out that playing at the Asian Games presented a different challenge compared to the conditions players usually experience in international cricket and the IPL.
He drew a comparison with India’s campaign at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, where the team also had to adapt to unfamiliar conditions.
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“Both the games in China and in Japan had its 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,” he said.
For Laxman, winning the gold medal carried additional significance because cricket does not often feature in a traditional multi-sport setting where players get the opportunity to stand on the podium and receive a medal.
“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.
