AB de Villiers, the former South African captain, has heaped praise on Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) skipper Shreyas Iyer, commending his exceptional performance in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. Iyer, who has played 12 matches in the 17th season, amassed 287 runs at a strike rate of 135.38. Notably, he became the first KKR skipper to lead the team to the top of the IPL points table. Speaking on his official YouTube channel, De Villiers lauded Iyer as a "wise guy" and a "smart cricketer," highlighting his composed demeanor in challenging situations.

"Shreyas Iyer has been absolutely incredible. There have been a lot of doubts and talks about him as captain. I punted him from the start of the tournament. He is a wise guy, a smart cricketer and I love the way he is calm and composed as a captain. He never seems to get rushed, never seems to panic even though you know deep down that you feel some panic, especially playing at the Eden Gardens," De Villiers said.

"It's not easy to captain senior players who have been around for ages, especially Narine and Russell. We know that the West Indies have got different personalities, they are outgoing and can be outspoken sometimes. It must be sometimes difficult with a difference in culture to communicate properly with some of these experienced players," he added.

Having won 9 out of 13 matches, KKR currently occupies the top spot in the IPL 2024 standings, boasting 19 points and a net run rate of 1.428.