‘He is a player’s captain’: VVS Laxman lauds Shreyas Iyer after Asian Games glory

New Delhi, Oct 6 (IANS) India’s head coach for the Asian Games, VVS Laxman, has heaped praise on skipper Shreyas Iyer, calling him a player’s captain after India defended their gold medal in the Asian Games 2026.

India defeated Pakistan by 19 runs in a thrilling final at Korogi Sports Park on Saturday to retain the Asian Games men’s cricket gold, with Abhishek Sharma’s 61 off 28 balls and Tilak Varma’s unbeaten 51 off 22 setting up a formidable 211/6.

Pakistan fought back strongly through Hasan Nawaz’s 96 off 51, but India’s all-rounders and spinners held their nerve to restrict them to 192/6, with Shivam Dube dismissing Nawaz off the final ball to seal the gold.

Reflecting on the campaign, Laxman was particularly impressed with the way Iyer handled his first major assignment as captain and praised his preparation, tactical awareness and ability to bring the best out of his players.

“It’s just the start of his captaincy career, but I’m sure that he’ll actually get a lot of success. And he’s a player’s captain. He makes everyone very, very comfortable and leads by example, whether with the bat or on the field,” Laxman said in a BCCI video.

“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 and puts a lot of emphasis on fitness,” he added.

Laxman also highlighted Iyer’s tactical understanding, particularly his ability to assess opponents and stay ahead in the fast-moving T20 format.

“I’m sure that he’ll have a very successful career as a captain. He’s a fabulous leader of players, tactically very, very smart, and very sharp. He understands the strengths of each and every player of his team, and he knows to get the best out of them,” he said.

“And especially in T20, I think 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 him really well. And that’s something which I am very happy about,” he added.

Laxman said India’s adaptability had been one of the biggest positives from the campaign, especially after the squad had to deal with difficult weather, travel and limited practice opportunities after arriving in Japan.

“Right from the time we came to Japan, we were challenged by weather, travel, lack of good practice sessions 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.

“I felt that they were all well prepared, even though we were indoors. Everyone did their fitness sessions, and whenever we got an opportunity to go and practise at the venue, we did that. “So, overall, I’m really happy with the way the outcome has come,” he added.

The former India batter said the team’s flexibility in adapting to different playing conditions was another major reason behind their success.

“And one thing which I’m really proud of is the adaptability they’ve shown. Because irrespective of challenging conditions or circumstances, not once were they not flexible in the way they approached both the games. We know that the semi-finals were 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,” he said.

Laxman also praised the organisers for ensuring the knockout matches went ahead despite heavy rain and difficult weather conditions.

“The amount of rain we experienced right from the time we came to the venue, for them to have two good days of cricket, shows that the organisers worked really hard, worked tirelessly to make this tournament a success,” he said.

Laxman believes the success of India’s Asian Games campaign also underlines the depth available in Indian cricket, with the team’s pathway programmes continuing to produce players capable of performing on the international stage.

“The collective effort of the selection committee, the team management, the Centre of Excellence, and above all, BCCI, for giving us all the opportunity to have various camps and various pathway and development programmes where we can nurture the future of Indian cricket. If the bench strength is strong, it will only add to the depth of our national team,” he said.

Laxman added that India’s performances across formats and age groups, along with the women’s team’s success, showed the country was in a strong position.

“We’ve got an abundance of talented players who will get a lot of laurels for our country, not only now but going forward over the next 5-10 years. It’s how we mentor them, it’s how we groom them, and it’s how we get the best out of them that’s in our hands,” he said.

“It’s great. I think with the depth we have, we are in a very, very good position. Not many countries are in this kind of a position,” he added.

–IANS

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