The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is considering appointing Shreyas Iyer as the new T20I captain for India, replacing Suryakumar Yadav. Concerns about Suryakumar’s batting performance over the past couple of years have been raised, while Iyer has proved himself as a reliable middle-order T20 batter, particularly with the Punjab Kings in the IPL.
Under Suryakumar’s captaincy, India has had significant achievements. He became the full-time captain in 2025, leading the team to victory in the Asia Cup, and in 2026, he guided India to win the ICC T20 World Cup at home, making him only the third captain to achieve this, following MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma.
According to The Times of India, the BCCI might shift the T20I captaincy gradually. While Suryakumar’s leadership has had great results, his recent batting form has been a concern amid the team’s overall success. The Indian team has not suffered major losses under his captaincy, earning him praise for his leadership.
However, his batting statistics have been disappointing. Once ranked as the No. 1 T20I batter, Suryakumar’s performance declined starting in 2024, where he scored 429 runs at an average of 26.81. In 2025, he played 21 matches, scoring just 218 runs at an average of 13.62 and experiencing a drop in his strike rate to 123.16.
Shreyas Iyer has been recognized for both his captaincy and batting skills. Despite his past performances, he has been overlooked for the T20I team. His record as an IPL captain is impressive; he has led three franchises to the finals and secured a victory in 2024.
Following the IPL, India has a busy schedule of white-ball cricket. They will begin with a home series against Afghanistan, then travel to Europe for five T20Is against England and two matches in Ireland. The calendar is full, with fixtures against the West Indies, Sri Lanka, and Zimbabwe extending to the end of 2026. It will be interesting to see when the decision regarding the T20I captaincy is finalized.