Here's why Iyer is right man to lead India (T20Is)
What's the story
Shreyas Iyer has been appointed as the new captain of India's T20I team, replacing Suryakumar Yadav. The decision was announced by BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia and Chairman of Selectors Ajit Agarkar in Mumbai on Saturday. It was not a straightforward decision by any means, as SKY led India to the T20 World Cup glory earlier this year. Moreover, Iyer last played a T20I nearly three years back. However, here we look at why the middle-order batter is the right man to succeed SKY.
Squad exclusions
The rise and rise of Iyer
Iyer's stint in the Indian Premier League (IPL) since the start of the 2024 season has been phenomenal. He led Kolkata Knight Riders to glory in 2024 before finishing as the runners-up captain with Punjab Kings last year. In fact, Iyer is the only skipper to lead multiple franchises in IPL finals. Before playing for KKR and PBKS, he powered Delhi Capitals (DC) to the 2020 IPL final.
Leadership credentials
Iyer's impressive IPL captaincy record
Despite not playing a T20I since December 2023, Iyer has an impressive captaincy record in T20 cricket. Overall, he has captained 101 IPL matches with a win percentage of over 54% (55 wins). Iyer has led PBKS to 17 wins from 29 concluded games in the IPL. His decision-making and tactical changes in the last few seasons impressed one and all.
Unexplained exclusion
Iyer's absence from India's T20 setup
Since Iyer's last T20I match, India has won two T20 World Cups and played several bilateral series without Iyer. He missed the 2025 Asia Cup and was called up as an injury replacement for a T20I series against New Zealand before the 2026 T20 World Cup, but wasn't included in the final squad or reserves. His absence from India's T20 plans has raised eyebrows among former players and experts alike.
Batting abilities
Stellar run with the bat
Iyer has also been inspiring with his brilliant run with the bat. Since the start of 2025, Iyer has scored 1,102 T20 runs at 52.47, as per ESPNcricinfo. His strike rate of 172.18 is the fourth-best among batters with 1,000 or more runs while batting at three or lower in this period. However, no other batter on this list even has a 46-plus average. This puts Iyer in a league of his own.
Information
Here are Iyer's T20I stats
Iyer, who last played a T20I in 2023, has racked up 1,104 runs across 51 games in the format at a strike rate of 136.12 (8 half-centuries). He has yet to play a T20 World Cup match.