Shreyas Iyer To Become Next India T20I Captain? Report Reveals Major Details
Shreyas Iyer has emerged as a top candidate to succeed Suryakumar Yadav as the Indian cricket team T20I captain, according to a report.
- Shreyas Iyer has reportedly emerged as a top candidate to succeed Suryakumar Yadav as India's T20I captain
- Suryakumar guided India to the T20 World Cup 2026 title, but his batting display has not been good
- The report claimed that Iyer is an obvious replacement for Suryakumar if the selectors decide to move on
Shreyas Iyer has emerged as a top candidate to succeed Suryakumar Yadav as the Indian cricket team T20I captain, according to Times of India. The report claimed that the BCCI are looking at Shreyas as a proper option and his batting display at No. 4 for Punjab Kings in the IPL has further boosted his chances. Shreyas led Delhi Capitals to the IPL final back in 2020 and then won the title with Kolkata Knight Riders in 2024. With Punjab Kings, he enjoyed a brilliant run of form in 2025 and even finished runners-up after losing to Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the final. Although Suryakumar guided India to the T20 World Cup 2026 title, his batting display has not been good and as a result, the chatter around Shreyas has grown over time.
According to the TOI report, sources said that Iyer is an obvious replacement for Suryakumar if the selectors decide to move on.
“Iyer last played a T20I in 2023. He has not been part of the current setup. It's a big call to bring him back and hand him the captaincy straightaway,” a BCCI source told TOI. “The focus has shifted towards the 2027 ODI World Cup, which has given selectors breathing space to plan for a T20I leadership transition.”
Suryakumar Yadav may have led India to an impressive T20 World Cup title defence but given his patchy batting form, serious questions remain on whether he will be in the scheme of things for the country's Los Angeles Olympics campaign in 2028.
And in this backdrop, India's tour of England and Ireland in June-July will be crucial for the skipper as more than his captaincy, his batting would be under scrutiny.
The tour could decide whether he will be given another two years till the next phase of big events in 2028 which includes the Olympics and T20 World Cup in Australia.
Suryakumar still remains the first choice for head coach Gautam Gambhir, who is expecting a contract extension till the 2028 T20 World Cup in Australia.
However, it will be interesting to see whether the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee agrees with his view as the T20 skipper will be pushing 38 at the time of Olympics.
"Obviously Surya is now leading the team. But he also has to ensure that as a batter, he maintains a level of consistency in his performances. Obviously, he will lead in the UK but after that, discussions going forward till 2028 could be purely performance-based," a BCCI source told PTI on conditions of anonymity.
Suryakumar had a torrid 2025 in which his strike rate dropped to less than 120 and he couldn't manage a single fifty.
It changed in 2026, when he scored four half centuries till the end of the T20 World Cup at a good strike rate of 160 plus.
However, at the T20 World Cup, save the first game against the USA, Suryakumar didn't have performances of note.
When faced with big teams, his scores were 18 (against South Africa), 18 (against West Indies), 11 vs England (semi-final) and 0 in final against New Zealand.
With India boasting of tremendous firepower in top three and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi yet to be unleashed, Suryakumar needs to find the consistency that keeps him in strong stead.
(With PTI inputs)
India Cricket Team