Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar expressed his surprise at Shreyas Iyer being named India’s new T20I captain, taking over from Suryakumar Yadav. This decision comes after Suryakumar’s inconsistent batting performances in recent years.
Manjrekar noted he didn’t expect Iyer to be chosen for this role, believing that ODI captain Shubman Gill would take on the T20 leadership ahead of the Ireland T20I series.
“Yes, I was surprised. I am trying to understand why that choice was made. Shubman Gill is another player with leadership skills. He has captained India and had a strong IPL. But as an opener, his position in T20 Cricket is different. Shreyas Iyer plays in the middle order, which creates space for him in the team. His leadership has been noteworthy,” Manjrekar said in an interview with Sony Sports Network.
He noted that performances in the Indian Premier League (IPL) play a significant role in team selections. After a successful season with Punjab Kings, both as a player and captain, Manjrekar believes Iyer earned this opportunity.
“I think whatever happens in the IPL has a tremendous impact on everything – whether it is 50-over cricket, leadership, or T20 cricket. So, Shreyas Iyer’s appointment has a lot to do with his IPL performances. I will say that last IPL, he was in better batting form than this season. It may be a challenge since he was out of the India T20I squad, but he deserved to come back. Last season, his exceptional IPL performance warranted a selection,” he added.
Shreyas Iyer has played 51 T20I matches, scoring 1104 runs with a strike rate of 136.13.