Former Indian batter Mohammad Kaif slammed Shreyas Iyer’s leadership after Punjab Kings suffered a three-wicket loss against Delhi Capitals at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium, Dharamshala on Monday.

Defending a par score of 211 runs, Iyer decided not to give a solitary over to his lead spinner, Yuzvendra Chahal, which was baffling. Earlier, Axar Patel also didn’t bowl himself and any other spinner in the first innings. In fact, both Patel and Iyer didn’t give a solitary over to any spinner.

Meanwhile, Chahal has been in decent form in the ongoing IPL 2026, taking eight wickets in nine innings at an average of 35.75 and an economy rate of 9.53. The leg-spinner had created a lot of chances in the previous match against Sunrisers Hyderabad but PBKS fielders had failed to grab them.

“I will ask a straight question. They played five bowlers. Yash Thakur doesn’t play matches consistently. He was given the 19th over and the 20th was kept for Marcus Stoinis. I am slightly surprised that neither Arshdeep Singh’s nor Marco Jansen’s over was saved. Your most senior bowlers in this match didn’t have a single over in the death overs,” Mohammad Kaif said on Jio Hotstar.

“I will question the tactics a little. Yuzi Chahal has taken more than 200 wickets in the IPL, and he didn’t get even a single over. Spinners have an economy of nine at this ground, and the fast bowlers have an economy of 10, which means the fast bowlers get hit more than the spinners. So a question will be raised about how he captained,” he added.

Iyer decided to back Arshdeep Singh, Marco Jansen, Marcus Stoinis, Ben Dwarshius, and Yash Thakur. Barring Singh, all the PBKS fast bowlers conceded their runs at an economy rate of more than 11.

Punjab Kings will next take on Mumbai Indians at Dharamshala on Thursday.