IPL 2026: ‘It’s an arduous task'- Shreyas Iyer highlights growing crisis for bowlers after loss
Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer lamented bowling execution after their first IPL 2026 loss. Despite a strong 224, the team couldn't contain Rajasthan Royals' late surge, particularly from Ferreira and Dubey. Iyer acknowledged the challenge for bowlers in modern T20s but stressed execution is key.
He remains optimistic, calling it a learning experience.
Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer admitted that his side fell short in execution with the ball after suffering their first defeat of IPL 2026, despite putting up a commanding total against Rajasthan Royals. Reflecting on the loss, Iyer felt the total on the board was more than competitive on a tricky surface. “I thought 224 on the board was a brilliant score.
Kudos to the batsmen, the way they came up and they went against the bowlers. I think it was an exceptional performance, especially on this wicket, which was a bit tacky and slow,” he said. However, the skipper pointed to lapses in execution with the ball as the turning point.
“And I think we fell a bit short in our bowling, in terms of execution. We had planned to bowl a lot of slower ones, pace off, yorkers. I think we fell a bit short over there.