How challenging is it to captain an IPL team packed with international stars? Ask Shreyas Iyer, who, at 24, has led a refurbished Delhi Capitals side featuring India stalwarts like Shikhar Dhawan and Ishant Sharma, with verve.

For a team that has languished somewhere in the bottom rung year after year, occupying the second spot halfway through IPL 2019 is a big leap. Iyer, who has had captaincy stints with domestic giants Mumbai and India ‘A’, brought that experience into play.

“When I was named captain midway through last season, I took it up as a challenge, and in some sense it has also made me into a better player,” Iyer said.

“This year I knew I was going to be captaining for the full season, and it helped me prepare myself mentally. In between I have, of course, captained Mumbai and India ‘A’ as well. So yes, it is a role I definitely enjoy,” he added.

Iyer is being seen as a future Indian cricketer, but opportunities have been rare. The debate on selection for the World Cup — which Iyer missed — has not ended yet. But Iyer, who hit a stunning 36 sixes in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy preceding the IPL, says his success is built one step at a time.

“When I was playing Syed Mushtaq, that (series) was all I wanted to do well in,” he said. “Before the IPL, a lot of people asked me if I was eyeing a World Cup spot, but that was never the case, my 100 per cent focus was and is on the IPL and doing well for Delhi Capitals, and I know we can go a very long way.”

Iyer, who has only played six ODIs and T20Is and is in-charge of several big names in his team, man-management could get tricky. He has found mentors both on and off the field.

“It’s actually great to have this kind of a ‘think-tank’,” Iyer said. “You get to pick the brains of legends like Ricky Ponting and Sourav Ganguly, they are forever willing to teach. On the field too, I have seniors like Shikhar (Dhawan) or Ishant (Sharma) or (Colin) Ingram, whose advice I can always take during a match.”

Iyer has had a successful IPL, garnering 266 runs in eight games, averaging in excess of 33. He says aiming to bat for long has been the reason behind successful run.

“I have been batting one-down so far, and of course when there is an early wicket, you almost end up opening the innings, which is also a role familiar for me as I open in the domestic circuit and I have had a fair amount of success there too. But whether it is the openers, or me at No 3, the key is for one of us to stay on for a long part of the innings to hold things together and ensure that things are stable,” he said.

The Mumbai batsman in-charge of Delhi Capitals is satisfied with the team’s showings so far, but wants more from his resurgent side. “There were matches that we should have won, and we failed. But we have done well to recover from those losses, and move up to second on the points table after the three consecutive wins,” he said.

“The Delhi team has not been in second position of the tournament in years, so that is very satisfying. But the job is far from done for us.”

Iyer says Delhi’s self-belief has helped them a great deal this year. “With so much around that is new for the Delhi Capitals, there is just a lot more belief. I think with the way we have played so far, you can sense that belief too,” he said.

“We have definitely got one of the most balanced sides in the tournament. The batting is centred around the Indians, but we have handy batsmen in our overseas players. The pace bowling attack is among the most potent in the IPL, and on their days even our spinners like Amit Mishra and Sandeep Lamichhane gave given us crucial breakthroughs”

First Published: Apr 18, 2019 09:40 IST