Former Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) coach Chandrakant Pandit has openly admitted that the franchise made a significant mistake by releasing captain Shreyas Iyer after their 2024 IPL title-winning season. In an interview on April 24, 2026, Pandit expressed regret, stating, "Unfortunately, we missed him". His comments come as Iyer has significantly transformed the fortunes of Punjab Kings (PBKS), leading them to an unbeaten start in the 2026 season.

“Shreyas is a wonderful player who won the trophy for KKR as captain, and I admire the way he handled the team. But sometimes, certain circumstances and broader strategies force you to let such players go. Obviously, as a coach at KKR, I felt bad about that. It wasn't a purposeful omission, but things simply didn't work out for us. It isn't only Shreyas; I feel the same about Phil Salt and others.”

Pandit praised Iyer as a "wonderful player" and a "phenomenal captain" who managed the team perfectly during the 2024 campaign.He explained that while he felt "bad" as a coach about the departure, the decision was driven by larger team strategies and circumstances that "didn't work out" for KKR. Pandit also expressed similar feelings regarding the release of Phil Salt, who has since helped Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) win their first title.

Shreyas Iyer leads PBKS’ campaign unbeaten for six consecutive matches

Shreyas Iyer has spearheaded an unprecedented start for Punjab Kings (PBKS) in IPL 2026, leading them to a record-breaking unbeaten streak of six matches. Under his captaincy, PBKS currently sits at the top of the points table with 5 wins and 1 no-result, marking the franchise's best-ever start to a season. PBKS is the only team yet to lose a match this season, surpassing their previous best of 5 unbeaten games in 2014. Iyer has led from the front with a transformed, aggressive batting style, maintaining a strike rate of 182.46 significantly higher than his career average of 135.27.

He has scored 208 runs in 6 matches at an average of 52.00, including three consecutive half-centuries. Experts like R. Ashwin have noted his "masterclass in tactical leadership," particularly his willingness to address historical weaknesses like the short ball.