Leadership Change within Indian Cricket? BCCI reportedly eyes Shreyas Iyer as next T20I skipper

Punjab Kings (PBKS) captain Shreyas Iyer is reportedly locked in as Team India’s next T20I skipper should the BCCI selectors decide against continuing with Suryakumar Yadav after IPL 2026. SKY’s form has been a worry for the BCCI selectors and his IPL team (Mumbai Indians), leaving no option but to put him on notice; also, considering the next two assignments two years later (2028 LA Games and the T20 World Cup), the decision-makers are contemplating his role moving forward.

Iyer’s journey from an emerging superstar to a marquee player to an IPL captain is all but fascinating. Since first donning the captain’s hat midway through the 2018 IPL season (for Delhi Daredevils, now Delhi Capitals), Iyer switched bases to KKR four years later before leading his team to their third IPL title in 2024. Following his departure ahead of the mega auction, Iyer joined Punjab Kings, where he again joined hands with head coach Ricky Ponting, leading the team to the final in the first season.

Established at the PBKS, Iyer, 31, has peaked with his batting form and leadership calls. With Punjab sitting at the top of the points table with five wins in six contested matches and remaining unbeaten thus far, Iyer’s stature as a leader and a dependable middle-order batter has grown leaps and bounds. His match-winning knocks against IPL giants and former winners have further cemented his chances of making a comeback to India’s T20I side for the first time since 2023.

“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 revealed in a chat with TOI. “The focus has shifted towards the 2027 ODI World Cup, which has given selectors breathing space to plan for a T20I leadership transition.”

High praise from PBKS coach

Ruling the cricket sphere with his timeless aura and brilliant stats, Iyer has received massive praise from PBKS bowling James Hopes, someone who has watched Iyer grow into an unstoppable force today.

“He’s very aware of what his perceived weaknesses were over the years. He’s come into this season having really nailed them. When he got hurt in Australia (in Oct last year), he was starting to nailing them in international cricket as well,” Hopes said.

“Once he finds his way back into the Indian team, you’ll see the batter he’s going to be for the rest of his career. Captaincy improves his batting.

“He was very young when he was captaining Delhi. He’s very well planned, but still follows his gut,” Hopes said. “Ricky and Shreyas work well together. When we get into our meetings, he’s the captain. He steps up, and he’s got his own ideas, he’s willing to listen,” Hopes added.

Meanwhile, Iyer is currently the vice-captain of Team India’s ODI setup and remains in line to become the next T20I captain.