Gautam Gambhir, Ajit Agarkar and Rajeev Shukla (Source: AFP)
India's T20I team could be heading towards a major leadership transition following the conclusion of IPL 2026. With international cricket back in focus, discussions around the future captaincy of the India's T20I side have increased.
However, there have also been fresh reports on India's vice-captaincy, involving Sanju Samson, Ajit Agarkar, and Gautam Gambhir.
While no official announcement has been made by the BCCI, reports suggest that current captain Suryakumar Yadav could soon lose the leadership role due to his poor form.
Suryakumar Yadav's T20I Captaincy To Be Taken Away
According to several reports, the India's team management and BCCI are seriously considering a leadership change in the T20I setup.
Suryakumar Yadav, who led India to the 2026 T20 World Cup title, is reportedly under pressure because of his struggles with form over the past several months.
His IPL 2026 campaign added to those concerns. Representing Mumbai Indians, Suryakumar scored only 270 runs in 13 innings at an average of 20.76.
Reports suggest that senior BCCI officials will discuss India’s future T20I plans, including the captaincy issue. Several names had earlier emerged as possible replacements, including Shreyas Iyer, Tilak Varma, Shubman Gill, and Ishan Kishan.
Among them, Shreyas Iyer is currently being seen as the strongest contender for the captain’s role.
Gautam Gambhir Wanted Sanju Samson As T20I captain
According to reports, Gautam Gambhir strongly supported Sanju Samson as India’s next T20I captain after his outstanding performances in the T20 World Cup 2026.
Samson was one of India’s best performers during the tournament and played a crucial role in the knockout stages.
However, a report by Dainik Jagran (Abhishek Tripathi) claimed that chief selector Ajit Agarkar and other BCCI officials are not convinced about making Sanju Samson captain.
Also Read: Why Shreyas Iyer Doesn't Deserve India's T20I Captaincy
The report stated that Gautam Gambhir wanted Samson to lead the team, but the selectors had concerns about his consistency over a longer period.
"Coach Gautam Gambhir wanted to make Sanju Samson captain, but BCCI and chief selector Ajit Agarkar weren't on board with it", - the report stated.
Tilak Varma To Be Appointed As The Vice-Captain In T20I Format
While the captaincy debate continues, there appears to be growing agreement on Tilak Varma's future role. Reports suggest that Tilak Varma is likely to be appointed India’s vice-captain in the T20I format.
"Tilak Varma to become vice-captain, no consensus reached on handing captaincy to Sanju" report stated.
The same reports indicate that there is little confidence in Rajat Patidar’s leadership prospects at the moment.
With Tilak expected to become vice-captain and Shreyas Iyer emerging as the preferred captaincy candidate, Patidar's path to a leadership role appears blocked for now, even after leading RCB to consecutive IPL titles.
"No confidence in Rajat Patidar's leadership" as per the same report.
"However, later consensus was reached between BCCI, the chief selector, and the head coach on making Iyer captain and Tilak vice-captain," the report added.
Reports further suggest that a consensus has now been reached between the BCCI, Ajit Agarkar and Gautam Gambhir on appointing Shreyas Iyer as captain and Tilak Varma as vice-captain.
Also Read: Shreyas Iyer Injured Before Captaincy Appointment? Mumbai T20 Drops Concerning Visuals
