New Delhi, May 2 (IANS) Punjab Kings fast bowler Lockie Ferguson on Saturday praised skipper Shreyas Iyer's temperament and leadership so far in IPL 2026, saying the right-handed batter's attitude has rubbed off really well on the entire team and that going through highs and lows of his career have added to him being a calm and assured leader.
PBKS currently sit at top of points table with six wins from eight games and a huge factor in them having an outstanding season has been down to Iyer’s leadership of a side mixed with exuberance of youth and wisdom of experienced players.
“Starting on Shreyas, I played against him a lot and played A cricket against him when we were both a lot younger. You can see he's developed into a very confident player. I think that sort of continues through his captaincy. He has a lot of trust in his players. He's had lots of ups and downs in his career and understands that things don't always work out perfectly.
“But it's not easy to be a captain, as I have had the chance of captaining myself in some franchise tournaments. I can imagine the pressure he's under as the leader of the Punjab franchise, but he does it so well. He's so consistent with his attitude and his temperament amongst the group, which I think flows onto how the guys play,” Ferguson told IANS in a virtual roundtable chat organised by the franchise on Saturday.
He also credited head coach Ricky Ponting for fostering a high-confidence, enjoyable environment within the squad. “It also comes from Ricky as well. They work so well together. They build a lot of confidence within the group. We have a lot of fun and then, I think when cricket happens, the boys really try to turn on and perform for their leaders. So, again, nice to be back with the group.”
PBKS take on GT in Ahmedabad on Sunday evening, on the back of their unbeaten run in the competition coming to a halt through a six-wicket loss to Rajasthan Royals in New Chandigarh. Their bowlers, including Ferguson, who was playing his first game of the season, sent down more than twice as many slower balls as RR but gave away 64 runs off 27 of those deliveries without taking a wicket.
A costly lapse in execution handed out a harsh reality check for PBKS, who have already conceded five 200‑plus totals and stand second only to RR. With an economy rate of 10.5, PBKS also sit among the most expensive attacks this season alongside Mumbai Indians (10.9) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (10.4).
PBKS have taken the fewest wickets - just 34 - and have the worst average (43.9) and balls‑per‑wicket ratio (25.2) for any side in the competition. Their pace attack has been leaking runs all season, and only MI’s quicks have a higher economy rate than Punjab’s 10.9.
“That's correct. I mean, execution is the key, right? So, we're trying to execute. Some days, not so good. But at the same time, the skill sets that are involved with this bowling attack led by Arshdeep and Yuzi, I thought the spinners were fantastic last game. So, trying to make little adjustments, trying to tighten up in areas.
“We know how within the IPL, how small margins can look a lot bigger on TV. But we're just trying to tighten up on areas, try to double down on our planning. We're very lucky with James Hopes leading the scouting and the information we get spot on. We weren't at our best last game, but look, I'm sure the boys will bounce back tomorrow and look forward to that challenge,” added Ferguson.
--IANS
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