A major leadership overhaul is reportedly underway in India’s T20I team, with selectors and team management preparing to hand over responsibility to a new captain ahead of upcoming international series.
According to reports, India’s ODI vice-captain and star middle-order batter Shreyas Iyer is set to become the new T20I captain. The right-hander, who last played a T20I for India in December 2023 against Australia, is expected to replace Suryakumar Yadav in the role. Reports suggest that Suryakumar, who captained India to the T20 World Cup title earlier this year, has been removed from the position and may not feature regularly in future T20I assignments.
The report further claims that Shreyas Iyer will lead India during the upcoming T20I series against Ireland and England. Mumbai Indians batter Tilak Varma is also expected to be appointed as the team’s new vice-captain in the shortest format.
Interestingly, Axar Patel, who served as India’s vice-captain during the T20 World Cup 2026 and also leads Delhi Capitals in the IPL, is reportedly not being considered for a leadership role moving forward.
As per available information, India head coach Gautam Gambhir initially preferred Sanju Samson for the captaincy. However, the selectors and cricket board officials were not fully convinced. After discussions, all parties reportedly agreed on Shreyas Iyer as captain and Tilak Varma as vice-captain.
Reports indicate that Sanju Samson’s inconsistency with the bat played a role in the decision. Although he produced three crucial innings during India’s successful T20 World Cup 2026 campaign, selectors reportedly felt that a few standout performances were not enough to justify handing him the captaincy.
Another notable aspect of the discussion was the absence of Rajat Patidar’s name. Despite leading Royal Challengers Bengaluru to back-to-back IPL titles, he was reportedly not considered for the role. In fact, Tilak Varma’s elevation to vice-captain is being viewed as a sign that Rajat Patidar may not be part of the leadership plans for upcoming T20I series either.
Suryakumar Yadav’s poor form is believed to have been a major factor behind the change. According to reports, decision-makers felt that both his recent performances and the team’s long-term plans made a leadership transition necessary.
The changes are also expected to affect India’s batting order. Suryakumar occupied the No. 4 position during the T20 World Cup 2026 but Shreyas Iyer is likely to take over that role in future matches.
Shreyas Iyer brings strong leadership credentials to the position. He became the only IPL captain to guide three different teams to an IPL final and led Kolkata Knight Riders to their third IPL title in 2024. Since joining Punjab Kings in 2025, he has scored more than 1,000 runs across two IPL seasons.
In the latest IPL season, despite Punjab Kings missing out on the playoffs, Shreyas Iyer impressed with the bat. He featured in all 14 league matches, scored 498 runs at a strike rate of 168.81 and registered one century along with five half-centuries.
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