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As he led Kolkata Knight Riders to a victorious campaign last year, and led Punjab Kings to the final of the Indian Premier League this year, star Indian cricketer Shreyas Iyer stated that he loves the role of leadership.

Having guided Kolkata Knight Riders to their third title last year and led Punjab Kings to the IPL final this year, star India cricketer Shreyas Iyer says he “loves” leadership role as it helps to bring out the best in him.

Iyer was pivotal in guiding PBKS to the IPL final against Royal Challengers Bengaluru this year, scoring 604 runs, including six half-centuries. But, as luck would have it, he missed out on a Test spot for the five-Test away series against England beginning later this month. He also led Delhi Capitals in the past.

“It (captaincy) brings in a lot of maturity and responsibility. You are always expected to perform and contribute in the best way possible for the team because whenever there is a hurdle or some kind of adversity you face as a team, they always come to the captain,” Iyer told the T20 Mumbai League after leading Sobo Mumbai Falcons to the semifinal here on Sunday.

“I think I have got a lot of experience as I have been captaining since I was 22. I have enjoyed the moments and also embraced it. I love the fact to come out and lead,” added Iyer.

Iyer, 30, is among the top Indian stars, alongside Suryakumar Yadav and Shivam Dube, featuring in the T20 Mumbai League, a domestic franchise-based tournament. Shreyas added that he gets motivation to take on the challenge and perform at his best in high-pressure situations.

“I just try to get into my zone and I try to do things which are there in front of me. I try to stay focused as much as possible, just stay in the present, embrace the situation, embrace the crowd because sometimes they get very electrifying and pass on the energy to you. So I keep telling myself that I want the crowd to cheer my name, and that brings that kind of motivation,” he said.

The Mumbai cricketer said that playing alongside familiar faces, who have been a part of his cricketing journey from his childhood days, in the tournament makes him feel happy.

“There are familiar faces in the dressing room, I have played with a few of them in club cricket and also in my school and college teams. I am glad to be back and play with my teammates here,” he added.

He added that the T20 Mumbai League was a great platform to nurture young cricketers and prepare them for future challenges.

“The Mumbai Cricket Association has put in great efforts to bring this league and identify talents who have been consistently performing in the grassroots of Mumbai. This gives them a great platform to come and express themselves and also to thrive beyond club cricket,” he concluded.

Sobo Mumbai Falcons will take on Namo Bandra Blasters in the semifinal at the Wankhede Stadium here on Tuesday.