Shreyas Iyer vs Sanju Samson Captaincy Record Comparison: Who Should Replace Suryakumar Yadav?

Shreyas Iyer, Sanju Samson are running to be next T20I captain. PC- AFP

The Indian Premier League (IPL 2026) is currently the epicentre of everything in the Indian Cricket; however, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is working in the backroom to take forward the Men in Blue. 

Prior to the IPL 2026, India successfully defended the 2026 T20 World Cup under Suryakumar Yadav’s leadership. However, with the current T20I captain utterly out of form, the BCCI has made up its mind to move past Suryakumar for the next cycle. 

After an impeccable run in the last two IPL seasons, PBKS' Shreyas Iyer seemed to be the front-runner to succeed Suryakumar Yadav. However, if reports are to be believed, Sanju Samson can become the next India T20I captain. 

Samson was India’s hero in the 2026 T20 World Cup, performing single-handedly in three of the most crucial matches of the tournament. Meanwhile, Iyer was not even a part of the 15-member squad for the marquee event. 

However, in this article, we will closely examine all data points to determine, statistically, who among Shreyas Iyer and Sanju Samson is better suited to become India’s next T20I captain. 

Also Read: Shreyas Iyer Captaincy Record: How Has India's Potential Captain Fared In T20s?

Shreyas Iyer vs Sanju Samson - IPL captaincy records

Shreyas Iyer first became an IPL captain in IPL 2018, when Gautam Gambhir had left the Delhi captaincy midway through the season. Iyer, who had shown his magic with the bat by then, showcased that he has a calm head on his shoulders from the word go. 

The Mumbai batter added a first feather in his hat when he led the Delhi-based franchise to their maiden title in IPL 2020. Four years later, he became the first captain since GG to win a title for KKR.

However, Iyer has really matured as an IPL captain since taking over the the reins of Punjab Kings. 

On the other hand, Sanju Samson was handed the IPL captaincy for the first time in IPL 2021, when his former IPL franchise, the Rajasthan Royals, handpicked their beloved prodigy as a leader. 

Although Samson's run as captain didn't fare well in his first attempt, he took RR to their first final since 2008 in IPL 2022. The Samson-led RR did well in IPL 2023, reaching the playoffs. However, the Kerala batter is currently playing just as a player in CSK. 

Let us dive down into stats: 

Reading through the data, it is pretty clear that Iyer is far ahead of Sanju Samson in terms of IPL captaincy records. 

Shreyas Iyer vs Sanju Samson - SMAT T20 records

Both Sanju Samson and Shreyas Iyer are flagbearers of their state teams across tournaments. Along with scoring a bulk of runs, they have also led their respective teams in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT). 

Again, Iyer is ahead of Sanju Samson after analysing the T20 records in SMAT. However, the former has a small sample size, while the latter has a proven legacy as Kerala's captain. 

Shreyas Iyer vs Sanju Samson - Captaincy overall record (IPL + SMAT)

Finally, after comparing the two captains in overall T20 records, Shreyas Iyer gets the nod ahead. 

However, Sanju Samson is not that far behind in the race. The two players have different styles of captaincy: Iyer is a street-smart leader, while Samson prefers to lead with his zen and calmness.

Having said that, both of them can be preferred as the next Indian T20I captain, and whoever gets the honour will be duly deserving. 

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