Rohit Sharma Makes Official Remark On Shreyas Iyer Replacing Suryakumar Yadav As T20I Captain

Rohit Sharma, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav [Source: @CricketCentrl, @CricCrazyJohns/x.com]

Indian cricket has now entered a new chapter. After speculation galor, the baton has finally been passed. Shreyas Iyer is now India's new T20I captain as he replaced Suryakumar Yadav, who signed off with a T20 World Cup trophy in his cabinet.

While the decision has started debates among fans, former India captain Rohit Sharma made it clear that he believes Indian cricket is in safe hands.

Speaking at the Wankhede Stadium during the Mumbai T20 League, Rohit not only backed Shreyas for the role but also applauded Suryakumar Yadav's rise from a late bloomer to a World Cup-winning captain.

Rohit Sharma backs Shreyas Iyer to lead India forward

Shreyas Iyer has been one of the standout leaders in Indian cricket over the last few years. Whether it has been in domestic cricket or the IPL, he has consistently shown composure under pressure and an ability to keep his team together when the heat is on.

Rohit feels those qualities will serve him well in the national setup.

"Surya led the team to the World Cup, and now Shreyas has been appointed the captain. I am sure that, with how he has captained his franchise, Mumbai, he's going to have a good time as well," Rohit said during the broadcast.

The former India captain's words carry weight. After all, Rohit himself lifted the 2024 T20 World Cup before stepping away from the format as he made way for the next generation to take charge.

For Shreyas, this is arguably the biggest challenge of his career. Leading India in T20Is is no walk in the park. Expectations are sky-high, scrutiny follows every move, and one bad series can turn the spotlight into a furnace.

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Rohit salutes Suryakumar Yadav's never-give-up attitude

While discussing the captaincy change, Rohit also took a moment to acknowledge Suryakumar Yadav's incredible journey.

Unlike many Indian stars who break into the national side in their early twenties, Surya had to wait much longer. He finally earned his India debut at the age of 31 after years of knocking on the door.

According to Rohit, that alone tells the story of a cricketer who never stopped believing.

"Nothing has come easy for so many of these cricketers, especially for Surya. He made his India debut at 31, if I am not wrong, so that shows he was always up for the fight. When the chance came, he wanted to grab it with both hands, and he did."

And grab it he certainly did. Suryakumar went from being a late entrant to becoming one of the most feared T20 batters in the world. His fearless batting changed games in a matter of overs, while his unconventional shots left bowlers scratching their heads.

The highs and lows of Suryakumar's captaincy era

When Rohit retired from T20Is after the 2024 World Cup win, Suryakumar inherited a team that was already at the top of world cricket. The Mumbai batter hit the ground running.

India did not lose a single T20I series under his leadership for nearly two years. The crowning moment came in 2026 when India successfully defended their T20 World Cup title by defeating New Zealand in the final at Ahmedabad.

However, after 2025, Surya's batting numbers started to dip. The runs dried up, the consistency disappeared, and even the explosive strike rate that once made him the world's No.1 T20 batter began to fade.

There were flashes of brilliance. His match-winning knock against the USA in the T20 World Cup showed everyone what he could do on his day. But those moments became too few and far between. As the selectors looked towards the future, the writing slowly appeared on the wall.

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