Gautam Gambhir Shreyas Iyer Shubman Gill. Image Credits: AFP/AP
In a harsh take, Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir was threatened by a former cricketer over the selection of Shreyas Iyer into the T20I format. The discussion happened after the PBKS vs SRH game in IPL 2026.
Iyer played a match-winning knock of 69* off 33 balls to guide Punjab Kings to a 6-wicket victory against Sunrisers Hyderabad in a 220-run high-scoring chase. This knock earned Shreyas big praise from critics.
Manoj Tiwary bats for Shreyas Iyer’s T20I selection
After the game, former cricketers Manoj Tiwary and Virender Sehwag shared their take on Shreyas Iyer. Talking to Cricbuzz, Tiwary shared a strong opinion.
He said Iyer has shown enough performance and mettle to secure a place in India’s T20I team. Tiwary warned that if Iyer isn’t selected even after consistent performances, he will opt for a ground protest.
"If Shreyas Iyer is not selected for the Indian team this time, we will protest for him,” Tiwary said.
That was a direct threat to head Gautam Gambhir and chief selector Ajit Agarkar, as Shreyas Iyer has repeatedly been ignored for selection since the duo took over.
There were also reports that Agarkar and Iyer are not on good terms, which led to the batter’s contract getting snatched. However, those rumours were never proved.
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Will Shreyas Iyer replace Suryakumar Yadav?
Since the T20 World Cup 2026 is now over, fans want to see Iyer back in India’s T20I setup as a permanent no. 4 batter.
Since IPL 2025, Iyer has scored 711 runs in 19 innings at an average of 54.69 and a strike rate of 180.91 at No. 3 and 4 in T20s.
In comparison, while Suryakumar Yadav still leads in overall runs, the gap in impact is narrowing rapidly, especially with Iyer outpacing him significantly in strike rate.
What’s even more concerning is Suryakumar’s recent international form, where his returns have dipped significantly compared to his peak years.
However, Shreyas Iyer’s entry won’t be as straightforward as it seems, as Suryakumar is still India’s T20I captain, and the team is still hesitant over a captaincy shift.
How did PBKS trash SRH?
Punjab Kings pulled off one of the most thrilling chases to defeat Sunrisers Hyderabad by six wickets in a high-scoring encounter of the IPL 2026 season.
Chasing a daunting 220, PBKS rode on a captain’s knock from Iyer, who remained unbeaten on 69 off 33 balls to guide his side home with seven balls to spare.
Batting first, SRH got off to a flying start, scoring 105 in the powerplay. However, they slowed down in the middle overs and eventually posted a 219/6.
Meanwhile, the Punjab Kings’ chase began on a flying start. Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh powered PBKS to 93 in the powerplay, keeping them well ahead of the asking rate.
After a brief middle-order wobble, Shreyas Iyer took complete control of the chase. He and Shashank Singh ensured there were no late hiccups, sealing the chase at 223/4 in 18.5 overs.
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